Trust
by greentbag
Summary: Its been years since the Gundams existed, yet he still manages to find himself in the clasp of those metallic prongs. The scientist has always been lethal, he knew that better than anyone. But how much did they know about the good doctor? More importantly how did they manage to involve Relena? He could never bring himself to kill her, the old man might not be so lucky.
1. Chapter 1

A/ Note: The name of the bike has been edited in case it wasn't allowed so if you recognise it and it looks off it was intentional.

P/S I combined Chapters 1-5 since they were so much shorter than everything that followed. No need to re-read since I didn't change any information. just editing.

* * *

"Love is weakest when there is more doubt than trust but Love is strongest when we learn to trust despite the doubts."- Unknown

 **Trust**

Relena felt over worked, painfully and ridiculously overworked. To the outside world she was twenty three, but inside she felt fifty. Standing at the window in her office at the ESUN headquarters on Earth she watched the passers by going about their day. Children, teenagers to the more mature persons. She smiled to herself, she never used the word old, "it was impolite" her mother used to tell her and it stuck. It was a beautiful day out, the sun was shining brightly, with only a tiny whisper of clouds threading the sky, she could almost imagine the fresh air, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, not even close. The cold thin air of the air conditioned room burned her nostrils. Opening her eyes to continue her perusal of the day she wasn't experiencing, she got the distinct feeling she wasn't alone.

"Are you my protection or my stalker?" she asked while smiling at the reflection which appeared behind her in the glass. It was more rhetorical than anything else, atleast that's what she told herself because really was she going to get a response?

He came up and leaned against the window beside her. Dressed in full preventer uniform he was beautiful. Not particularly a word you used for men but handsome just wasn't enough to describe him. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, leaned against the window, arms folded half paying attention and half I'm too sexy for my shirt. This thought only brought to mind what he looked like without a shirt. She blushed and turned her attention back to the window.

"Have you ever wished you were them?" She was unsure what made her pose the question out loud, maybe because this person next to her was probably the only person furthest from the idea of normal than she was.

He looked up at her then, waiting for her to elaborate.

She continued "Have you ever wanted to be normal? To walk down the street and just do nothing?

"No one is stopping you from walking down the street."

Ugh she hated his logical way of seeing everything. I was an asset in difficult times and a pain in everything else "Can I go without ten bodyguards?"

"You only ever need one" He was smirking now.

"Please Heero, this widow can't open and I really don't want your ego to suck all the oxygen from the room." She sighed, he didn't understand.

"What's really bothering you?"

"We've achieved peace but can you say we enjoy it. Is it selfish to want to enjoy it? Is it just our jobs to obtain it for others? I want to go to the movies, go to the theme park, I've seen the world and the colonies but I've never been to the circus or ate a hotdog. These things seem trivial and maybe a little silly but I sometimes want to be her." She pointed down to a bunch of girls talking and laughing arm in arm.

"Say when." His response was automatic, commanding and affirmative.

She jumped, eyes wide, did he just say that, did he mean it, "What?"

"Hn" his typical response to just about everything including his name.

She was grinning hopelessly…"When!"

* * *

The very next day she had announced she was taking a much needed vacation. She sent the information to everyone on the need to know list, namely Commander Une, Lucrezia Noin and Senator Nicolai Staten along with other members of the ESUN.

She was in her room packing a few things and musing to herself, at first she was only going to take one week but she decided to throw caution to the wind. 'How pathetic' she thought dryly, her idea of throwing caution to the wind was taking two weeks vacation? Yeah Relena you're really living it up.

She was told to pack light by her tour guide and she complied. She only had one bag when she met Heero down stairs. He was wearing a white button down shirt with its three tops buttons undone…to torture her of course and a pair of blue jeans. On her part she was wearing a white short pant linen suit.

He gave her a once over and if she didn't know better she would have thought she saw him cringe. Did he just cringe? … at her outfit?

Quite matter of factly he stated, "You're gonna need a disguise" A disguise? She was loving this already. So he did cringe humph.

They stopped at a small mall so she could pick up some stuff. When she got back to the car she had refused to tell him what she had bought. They quickly went back to the house where she dashed upstairs and got to work.

Heero waited downstairs, five minutes turned into two hours. 'It's a good thing we're not on the run'. He checked his watch again. He was about to check she was still up there when the door cracked. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Relena emerged from the room, her hair was jet black which emphasized her blue eyes tenfold. She wore dark blue denim jeans, a black long sleeved off shoulder crop top which stopped 2 inches above the waist of her jeans, exposing her soft yet slightly toned stomach. The outfit was complemented by black ankle boots while a black leather jacket was slung casually over her back in her right hand. She was by all intents and purposes a biker chick. His eyebrows went up by at least a .2 of a millimeter not a lot but for a guy who redefined the word stoic it was huge. She descended the stairs, eyes locked with his the entire flight, stopping only when she was 2 inches from his face.

"What do you think?" Had she been a cat, she would've been purring.

He looked her up and down in a slow deliberate movement with a hint of a smirk on his dark features. "Hm, let's go."

They exited the house and stopped in the drive way, parked on the street was a black SUV, what they would usually use as transportation, in the garage sat his black extremely sleek, Kawasi ninja bike.

He looked at her his smirk still in place, this had to be a record. "Your choice"

She looked down at herself and then back up at him, one brow raised, telegraphing her thoughts.

Taking the hint he led her into the garage where his bike was waiting. He got on, handed her a helmet then proceeded to secure his own, "Hop on"

She climbed on the back, hands curled tightly around his waist, she got as close as she possibly could to him without being a second skin.

"You know I always like it when you take me for a ride"

* * *

They drove for what seemed like forever, but really she didn't care. She was snuggled up to his back while the wind blew through her hair and the scenery unfolded before her eyes. It was beautiful. Whether he took this route on purpose or if this was just the way to wherever he was taking her she didn't know, but they managed to avoid the city, the concrete jungle. Instead they drove by lakes and parks, they saw and heard children playing, dogs barking and birds chirping. They heard life, instead of horns honking and the smell of exhaust. She watched as the day changed and the sky morphed from blue to tones of pink and orange as the sun set, this time when she closed her eyes and breathed she was met with fresh air and contentment like never before.

They arrived at a small hotel chain just before night fall, Heero had obviously taken care of everything ahead of time because he already had a key and they headed straight to their room. Ever efficient. After making sure she was settled he went back down to get something for them to eat. Relena looked around the room, it was sufficient, not the luxury chains she was used to but it was clean, she paused and stared at the carpet, daring it to show any signs of neglect. None, so it was clean, there was a bed draped with a very colourful flowered print bed spread which to her surprise and slight mortification matched the wallpaper. In front of the bed a few feet away was a small coffee table with what she assumed was the television remote sitting on top, pushed against the far wall was a flat screen tv nestled atop a small stand which housed a variety of magazines on the bottom shelves. A chair was stationed at the window with a small desk, in case you wanted to switch things up. A useable bathroom completed the tour. It contained a sink, shower, toilet and more ugly wallpaper, the basics. She walked around the room, not that it was big but after riding that long she wanted to stretch her legs. She did it, she exclaimed to no one in particular. She was on vacation. She couldn't help but smile at the thought. Yet the fact that she had nothing to do, no one to see and no where she needed to be was unsettling. She could only categorise the feeling as withdrawal. Her fingers were twitching with the need to sign a paper, answer a call or type a letter. She opened the only bag she had brought. Inside was some clothes, a few make up items and her feminine necessities. The only form of communication was her emergency cellular, so emergency that only three people had the number one of whom was there with her. She picked it up and stared at it for several seconds her finger poised to make a call when the door swung open. Heero stepped back inside the room carrying two small bags of something that smelt of heaven. She felt like a child being caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She lowered her head to peer at him through her bangs hoping to appear as innocent as humanly possible.

"Couldn't help yourself" He apparently wasn't moved by the display.

"I didn't use it, you should be proud of me" She tilted her chin up at him as if she had just achieved a major feat.

"Here", he gave her one of the bags he was holding and settled on the bed next to her. "This," he said and he opened his bag and held up the sandwich, "is a bacon cheeseburger"

She stared at him incredulously, "Heero I know what a cheeseburger is." She harrumphed, the jerk. Truth is just because she knew what it was doesn't mean she had ever eaten one. She tentatively opened her bag, carefully trying to avoid what she assumed was grease and ketchup. It wasn't the best presented thing she had ever eaten but the smell was intoxicating. Her mouth to her surprise was watering, either she was hungrier than she realized or her mouth was reacting to being so close to something it knew was going to be good. She took a bite and her toes curled, her eyes closed tightly while her nose inhaled the gorgeous scents of bacon and smoky grilled something or the other. Oh. My. God! Was this legal? The combination of the bacon, cheese and some kind of sauce she couldn't quite identify was sinful. When she opened her eyes Heero was looking at her, a triumphant smile on his face as if he had anticipated her reaction. She flushed, slightly embarrassed by being caught in the middle of a mouth-gasm. She lowered her head instinctively under his glare. "This is good" It was the only thing her mind could think of saying feeling thoroughly self-conscious. He reached out his hand cupping her chin and slightly brushed his thumb across the side of her lips. She started momentarily, her lips slightly parted from his touch. Looking up at him she met Prussian eyes regarding her purposefully. His hand still cupping her chin he leaned down, kissing her lightly, carefully, as if waiting for her response. He didn't have to wait long, she brought her hand to his neck, sliding up until she had a fistful of his hair urging him forward and deeper into the kiss. In one swift move he relieved both of them of the contents of their hands depositing the uneaten food on the coffee table, his lips never leaving hers.

Somethings were better than cheeseburgers.

* * *

Two days! Two glorious days, two days of junk food, bad tv shows and Heero. This is not what she considered normal. No, this was extraordinary. Relena laid in bed staring up at the ceiling fan as it whirled slowly, barely emanating a breeze. A smile plastered permanently it seems on her face, as her mind recounted every minute of the past forty-eight hours starting from the time she hopped onto the back of his bike until now. She was giddy with joy, she had to fight the urge to giggle and squeal like a school girl.

She was playing hooky from work, eating ridiculously tasty food and indulging in one too many yet never enough acts of pure carnal desire. How many rules could one person break in two weeks? With what could only be described a sinister smile she vowed to find out.

* * *

"Where is she Commander?" Nicolai Staten radiated fury. He was all but yelling at the head of the preventer organization.

"Mr. Staten calm down. While I can appreciate your concern, I will not tolerate your disrespect." Not only had he barged into her office unannounced, he had all but accused her of aiding and abetting the vice minister, whose only crime was apparently taking some time off.

Nicolai straightened his posture, took a deep breath while adjusting a tie that was now suddenly restricting his air. "My apologies Commander, but it's been two days with no contact from the Vice Foreign Minister surely this has to raise some concerns for her safety."

In most cases the man would have been right. Two days without any contact from Relena would be cause for alarm, probably search parties but vacation or not Relena always had a more than capable body guard. If anything had happened to the Vice Minster he would be the first to raise an alarm, his silence meant her safety.

"Mr. Staten I can assure you Ms. Relena is safe. She has one of the best agents the preventers' organisation has to offer at her side, she's fine."

Looking across the large mahogany desk at her unexpected visitor a lesser woman may have been intimidated. He was tall, lean and arrogantly aristocratic. In many ways he reminded her of Treize, except where Trieze was brunette he was blonde, his eyes sparkling emerald. She smiled despite herself, it was going to take a lot more than a trust fund to intimidate her after all she commanded a collection of some of the most dangerous men in the sphere. Scrutinizing him she could see the glint of disbelief in his eyes. Her assurances did nothing to assuage his concern or anger, but he relented.

"I'll take your word for now Commander," he turned and headed towards the door, stopping before he closed it behind him. "For now!"

Commander Une sat at her desk in quiet reflection. Her index finger absentmindedly tapping the corner of the gleaming structure. Her confrontation with Mr. Staten had left her a little more concerned than what she initially thought. It's been two days, the preventers had the best equipment in security and surveillance and yet not a hint of Relena Darlian anywhere. Not that they were spying on her, but it was inconceivable that they were travelling without being picked up by any cameras, body scans, or facial recognition devices anywhere. After the kidnapping a few years before such measures were taken to ensure that all politicians of high rank would be easily identified and tracked if the situation were to ever reoccur. Facial recognition programs gave constant updates of the arrival and departures of key players around the world yet nothing of the Vice Minister. The only thing stopping her from pressing the panic button was the knowledge that her body guard was one of the best at not being found, but would Heero really break preventer safety protocols and procedures just to give Relena a much needed vacation? She answered herself with an emphatic yes!

* * *

Heero typed away at his computer in his seat next to Relena. She had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder a blanket pulled up to her chest. He stopped intermittently just to watch the top of her head and listen to the sound of her breathing. Three days ago he had agreed to take her on vacation, she had a list of things she wanted to do and he was systematically crossing them off one by one. Unbeknownst to her he had kept the list she had written as a guide. He wondered if she even noticed that they were following a map of her inner desires. Whether she realized or not it was enough just to be able to do this for her. Dragging his eyes away from her slumbering form he brought his focus back to the laptop in front of him. Everything he did he did for her whether she knew it or understood. This was no different.

Consciousness was nagging her, bothering her even. She laid hovering in that irritating place teetering between sleep and reality until she could no longer delay the inevitable. Relena stirred, dragging her hand from under the blanket and over her face. Momentarily losing her bearings she had to blink a few times allowing the situation to explain itself. She smiled she had fallen asleep on the shuttle to L2. She shook the remnants of sleep from her mind and tilted her head in the direction of the window beside her to look out at the expansive night which engulfed the space craft. Never before had she traveled on a public space shuttle, whenever she traveled through space it was always privately chartered or owned by the ESUN, so the low hum of noise which filled the cabin was a breath of fresh air. She brought her head up from its perch to scan the crowd, or atleast what she could see of it. A throng of faces, and a swirl of activity, some people were sleeping, others lounging, eyes glued to any number of technological devices. She turned her head back to her travel companion, who incidentally was watching her as well. She smiled, of course she smiled. He always brought a smile to her face. She leaned her head against the window the darkness of the view drawing her into the recesses of her own mind and thoughts. A couple months ago a trip like this would've been impossible. Her head on his shoulder unthinkable. Many nights she would replay their exchanges in her mind unable to stomach his rejection.

 _They had just returned to her home after a marathon day of meetings, she was exhausted and despite the fact he never showed it he must've been as well. She had kicked off her shoes and headed for the wine fridge in the kitchen. She emerged with two wine glasses dangling in her right hand and a bottle of merlot in her left. She placed the glasses on the counter and poured them both a generous amount. "Long day" she managed to push out just as her lips met the rim of the glass. She extended the other to him, he didn't take it. "It's not the first time you've drank on the job" she was hoping her playful flirtations would coax him out of his work shell. Still he refused. He was standing propped against the wall just eyeing her, the look on his face was nothing she could identify, no look she had seen before. Placing both glasses on the counter, she advanced to where he was standing. A slender, well-manicured hand rose to this head, raking eager fingers through his bangs. She slid her thumb and index straight down the longest lock until it reached the tip playfully with what she hoped was a seductive smile on her lips. His reflexes were lightening quick, she wouldn't have realise he moved if she couldn't feel his hand gripping her wrist. "What are you doing?" his voice was low, strained, with a hint of anger? Trying her best to squash those thoughts she stepped into him his hand still around her wrist. "I'm unwinding, I thought we could do it together." Her free hand came up to trace his jaw, the result being both her wrists caught in a vice called Heero. This time she couldn't hide her surprise, her eyes questioning his. "You're involved" was his only response as he released her hands, stalking to the door opting to perform his duties from a safe distance._

A shudder racked her body a sigh escaping her lips, the announcement that they were soon about to land bringing her out of her self induced regression. Adjusting her posture, she brought her head to lay on the head rest of the seat, the slight shift of positon made her aware that he was peering at her from the corner of his eyes, his instincts probably telling him something was wrong. She offered him and herself a reassuring smile.

'All in the past.'

* * *

"Heh I never thought I'd see the day you'd get Heero to take a vacation" a hand slapped his forehead "oh wait it's your vacation princess I'm struggling to remember who's leading who!" Duo chirped as he walked them up the drive way to his house. When Heero had said he was going to L2 he failed to mention he was taking them to Duo and Hilde's but it was a welcomed surprise the best way to spend a vacation was with friends.

Hilde rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt at annoying his more silent friend "You struggle to remember to put down the toilet seat Duo this shouldn't be a surprise."

That stopped him dead in his track, he leaned over to her, "They don't need to know this stuff." She merely shrugged him off and continued walking.

Once Inside the Maxwell home, the pairs split up. Hilde helped Relena settle into the spare room, while Duo and Heero vanished into thin air, naturally. Relena flopped back onto the bed arms spread out horizontally to their full span, eyes closed. She was tired, not sleepy just tired. "Thanks for letting us stay with you"

"Don't mention it, you deserve this!" came her friend's reply.

"I've single-handedly managed to get the entire earth sphere to agree on something, I'm better at my job than I realise." They both chuckled at this sudden epiphany. Hilde was glad to see her friend in such high spirits. She might have been tired of hearing how long over-due this vacation was but it had been true and she deserved it. Hilde sat down on the bed next to her continuing the small talk, "How long will you be with us?"

Based on her friend's questions it appeared as though she wasn't the only one in the dark regarding this impromptu trip "Duo didn't mention we were coming did he?" It was more a statement than a question, which didn't escape Hilde. "You know them, I swear a trip to the grocery store has a mission profile and a need to know list, and we are rarely on that list."

They both erupted in laughter. It was true, a quirk and a fact of life when you're involved with these guys. After the laughter subsided she remembered Hilde's earlier question. "The length of our stay is entirely up to Heero, I'm at his mercy."

"Hmm guess that's one place you don't mind being."

* * *

"So a vacation huh? Was this your idea or her?" Duo and Heero had retreated to mission central i.e the basement. The former Death scythe pilot had taken up a seat opposite his friend, opting to straddle the furniture, his arms folded atop the chair back while 01 stood in the doorway leaned against the frame. The best way to avoid eaves droppers or carelessly giving away information to passing ears was to maintain visual of traffic to the room. His reply was quick and short.

"Hers."

"I'm assuming you didn't object." Duo pressed further, there was just something about their relationship that tickled him.

"I sent you an encrypted file from earth," Heero sidestepped his attempts at social conversation, he did that enough with Relena. Dropping his forehead onto his arms Duo deflated, 'the guy just never played fair.' "Yeah I saw it, now what?"

"Now we find out what's going on."


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry If this confuses any confusion but no need to reread, just a bit of editing for those who have read this already just jump to chapter 7.

P.S Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2

"We're going to the water park Relena not afternoon tea, pick something!" Mild exasperation echoed in Hilde's voice. This should have been the easiest place to dress for.

"I didn't know we were going to a water park, what do I wear?"

Hilde sighed, "For starters, a bathing suit under your clothes so you're still presentable even after you're soaked, or maybe even just a bathing suit."

Relena pouted and sat down on the bed rather ungracefully, "Whose bright idea was this anyway?"

"Yours! Hilde forcefully reminded her, she loved her friend but this was getting annoying "Don't you remember the last time you were here you said you'd love to go atleast once in this lifetime?"

Relena looked up at her "That was ages ago, I didn't think you'd take me seriously."

"I didn't, but obviously someone else did." Hilde replied. She opened a closet and pulled out a spare suit she had, blue polka dot top and a blue bottom white trim around the waist band. "Here you can wear this, never been worn, I swear!" She held up her hands mimicking the stance you took before taking the stand to testify. Relena on her part hardly noticed the other person in the room. She was engulfed by the realization that Heero had put this entire thing together. She knew Heero well enough to know how methodical and calculating he was but the idea that he put this much thought and effort into something this meaningless just for her warmed her entire body.

"Are you done mulling this over in your head or can we go now?" Hilde's words interrupted her train of thought.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled taking the suit that was offered her. Let me just change and we can go." if Heero put so much effort into making her happy she was going to put in twice as much effort to enjoy it.

* * *

Entering the large gates of the park was a thrill in itself. Never would she have imagined being this excited about a park. The sight and sounds of her surroundings beckoned her in further and she complied. Walking aimlessly, her senses were bombarded by the colorful assortment of rides, the screaming and laughter of adults and children alike and the undeniable the smell of chorine.

She jumped as a hand landed around her shoulders, her heart beat returning to normal when she realised it was just Duo. She was so caught up in her own thoughts she completely forgot they were here. They continued walking around apparently trying to decide what to do first when movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. A little boy about eight years old sitting at the top of a small fluorescent pink slide. A man whom she assumed was his father already in the pool below, was offering words of encouragement to the apprehensive child. The scene was thoroughly cute as was the big breath the little boy took which puffed out his cheeks. With a nod of his head he pushed off. A little bit of pride started to well up inside her, quickly replaced by dread. The child landed in the pool, close to where she was standing. She squealed turning her face away, instinctively throwing her hands in the way of the oncoming water. Wiping her hands over her hair and face she was grateful for his small stature any bigger and she would have drowned. She whirled around to see Hilde and Duo laughing, at her expense. "You know if you didn't want to get wet a water park probably wasn't the best choice!" Her eyes went wide her instincts telling her to defend her honor at all costs, "It's not that I want to avoid getting wet it's that I want to avoid being splashed." That just made them laugh harder. She glared at them for all she was worth, before she too caught the case of the giggles. "Really you can be submerged in the entire ocean doesn't mean you enjoy being splashed by the people next to you!" she managed to squeak out between fits of laughter. Her logic was undeniable!

* * *

Heero walked steadily amongst the crowd of commuters confident in his skills of camouflage, after all he had spent years perfecting the art of blending in with his surroundings. It wasn't an easy decision not going with Relena, his first instincts were always to protect her. There weren't many people outside of himself he trusted with her safety but if he was to write a list Duo would be on it, one of four, five if he was tortured to admit it, but considering the stunt he pulled with the Libra canon a few years ago the jury was still out on number five. It was still a risk with Hilde and Relena both present Duo's attention would be divided and maybe not in Relena's favour but still he chose not to go confident that her biggest threat was thousands of miles away. That plus the added protection of the code he introduced into preventer systems which distorted their identities should they walk through a preventer check point. His pace was quicker than most but not to the extent of drawing unnecessary attention. He stopped at a coffee vendor, strategically across the street from I.B Med, a small medical center named after the late Dr. Ivan Blair. Before being renamed less than three months ago it operated as 360 Z Medical. He stood gazing at the building, occasionally a whiff of coffee tickling his nose. His message to Duo about the medical center days prior to their arrival didn't reap the rewards he was hoping for. Duo not being a preventer agent was not limited in his methods of reconnaissance but despite the stealth gods best efforts the building and its occupants were unyielding. He didn't know what made him come to see for himself. It's not that he didn't trust Duo or his skills. Old habits die hard was his ultimate conclusion. He watched for a while as people entered and left the facility. Scanning faces and evaluating postures hoping that something or someone stood out. Nothing. He hated to admit it but maybe he underestimated them.

* * *

Four hours of water, slides and duo, she was exhausted but it was well worth it. It was everything she had imagined and then some. When she imagined it she was alone, she never imagined enjoying the experience with friends. They made all the difference. A small part of her wished Heero had joined them but the knowledge that he had orchestrated the entire thing more than made up for his absence. Besides she couldn't quite wrap her mind around Heero in beach shorts hands stretched above his head, sliding into an awaiting pool. Now there's a thought! She stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped snuggly in one of the thickest bathrobes she'd ever had the pleasure of wearing. A towel in hand pressing ever so often on her locks of hair trying it would seem in vain to dry it. She felt old for the second time in a week. This time it was because of the pain in her body, all that running around in water resistance highlighting just how sedentary her lifestyle was. She was aware of muscles she never knew she had, on top of that her fingers and toes were wrinkled from prolonged water exposure. She stopped toweling her hair to rub her palms together. A hot drink was essential to her well-being. Just as she was about to head for the door her phone rang. With slight trepidation she reached for the phone, if someone was calling her on this line something had gone terribly wrong.

"Relena." she coughed adjusting the croak that came out of her mouth.

"Miss Relena, glad to hear you are alright."

She recognized the voice instantly "Lady Une is everything alright, what happened?" she asked, more frantic now that she had confirmed the caller. As commander of Preventers Lady Une would not have called her unless the world was about to end and even then she would have called Heero.

"Calm down Miss Relena, nothing is wrong I'm sorry to alarm you this is a social call I take it you are enjoying your time away from the office?" On the other end of the line Lady Une hoped the other woman had caught on.

"Yes, yes I am, Thank you." she let out a nervous chuckle, something was wrong, she just didn't know what or how to proceed so she waited.

"Well I'm delighted everything is going well, you deserve to take a break, and next time maybe I'll come with you." Lady Une continued.

"If there ever was another woman to work more than I did it would be you commander." Relena played along. Following the other woman's lead was all she could think of doing.

"Your agent, is he around?" Une questioned, her tone slightly more serious than before.

"Yes, would you like a word? I can call him for -." Relena was growing more concerned by the second

Before Relena could saying anything more Une interjected, "That won't be necessary, be safe Ms. Darlian good evening sorry to have bothered you."

"Good evening." Relena heard phone hang up before he reply was fully voiced. She remained standing in the middle of the room, unsure how to process that call. Lady Une never made social calls, and she would never make one to this line of all places, except she did.

"What is it?" a deep, familiar voice invaded her thoughts. Looking up she was like a deer in the headlights, deep blue headlights. She looked away trying to avoid the collision.

"Lady Une called," She looked down at the phone still nestled against her chest, "on the emergency line."

"He's looking for you" her head snapped up at this statement. Her mouth opened, wanting to question him but no sound came out. By the time she gathered her nerves to make a second attempt at a response he had disappeared out the room as quickly and quietly as he had appeared.

* * *

"What the hell was that Colonel you didn't even get a location!" Nicolai for the second time had appeared in her office hurling accusations.

"We've had this discussion before, your concern understandable, but your disrespect intolerable." She spoke in a very assured tone, conveying just how serious she was about having him removed lest he think she was bluffing.

"We did have this conversation before, I also recall telling you I'd believe you for a time that time has since expired." He leaned back in the chair, crossing his right ankle over his left knee, displaying a very confident deceptively relaxed posture. She wasn't fooled, the way his hands were gripping the rims of the chair she could see his controlled aggression.

"I'm surprised at you colonel" He drawled.

"I no longer carry that title Mr. Staten." He was trying his best to push all her buttons, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

He smiled and continued unaffected by her correction, rather encouraged by it. "Your reputation as a strict leader in the OZ organization seems to have been overstated over the years." His smile twisted further, as he tilted his headed slightly regarding her with amusement. "Either that or you've gone soft."

Her response was prompt, "None of us are the same people we were during those times, war is an extraordinary circumstance that requires extraordinary measures to survive."

He continued to ignore her retorts thoroughly enjoying this cat and mouse game he was playing, "Do you always let your agents do as they please?" he paused for dramatic effect, "Or is that just reserved for ex gundam pilots?"

Her face contorted ever so slightly, her back bristled against the leather of her seat. He knew he struck a nerve, he pressed further. "He hasn't contacted you, he's breaking how many rules? And yet you make no attempt to find him or reprimand him?" He looked away from her and off into the distance appearing to be deep in thought. "I want to know where they are!"

"I told you before I made that call, I was going to put your mind at ease that she was safe, I did that, as far as her whereabouts go, since you're so well acquainted with preventer protocols, you should also know that it is impossible for me to divulge the location of officials to persons without the necessary clearance." She struggled to maintain her composure against his onslaught but she was determined not to show the slightest weakness.

He stood up at that, anger etched on his face, he clasped the buttons of his jacket in a slow and deliberate movement buying his time until he found an appropriate response, "The powers at be might not take kindly to a commander who can't keep her soldiers in line, especially if it jeopardizes the safety of the people you are charged to protect."

She balled her hands into fists in her lap. Mustering every ounce of self-control she had left not to raise her voice or betray the anger which bubbled just beneath the surface. "Is that a threat?"

"An observation."

* * *

"So how was it?" Duo asked. The two had once again retreated to the basement once the girls were asleep. He lay sprawled out on the sofa, hands entwined behind his head, feet crossed at the ankles. He would never say it out loud but he was beat. Years of fighting mobile dolls and he was undone by two women and water. Even superman had a weakness right?

For his part Heero had vacated his post by the door opting to perch on the chair arm opposite Duo "Just as you said."

Duo opened his eyes, peering at his friend as if to say I told you so but he refrained from saying it out loud and continued their exchange of ideas regarding the subject at hand. "They changed the name to Ivan Blair, was that to honor him or to hide their association with OZ?"

"Probably both but I'm more inclined to go with the latter."

"I'm surprised more people didn't make the link considering it was named 360 Z Medical. From what I gathered though not all the staff are former OZ." Duo chuckled, he was tired of the name OZ not to mention more than a little bitter about being caught by them.

Heero nodded his disagreement. "They don't need to be, the few can control the many, it's the few that are OZ that concern me, if operations are disjointed enough, the majority may have no idea what's going on."

Sitting up from his position Duo swung his knees over the edge to plant his feet on the floor, placing his elbows on his thighs "How is she involved in this?"

"Dr. Blair was head of Genetic research for the ESUN. They were apparently studying the impact if any of prolonged exposure to the synthetic air and light on colony citizens, along with the necessary treatments. We looked into his background extensively but nothing in his files explain any of this or any obvious connections to Relena." The statement was matter of fact but it was still painful for Heero to say. Not understanding why they needed her could cripple his attempts at keeping her safe.

"And Staten?" Duo asked a little unsure if he should be pressing his friend but it was a valid question.

"That's what we're going to L3 to find out."

A look of disbelief marred Duo's usually cheerful features. "So that's it? This whole vacation is nothing but a ruse so you can have an excuse to gather intel?" No response came. The realization perturbed Duo to say the least. He had seen how happy she was today, heard how touched she was at Heero's thoughtfulness, it won't matter his reasons or motives this was going to hurt his friend. "You know she thinks you're doing this because you actually care." He shook his head as he spoke, "and I suppose she thinks the trip to L3 is just so she can visit the Circus?"

Still nothing.

Tired of not getting anywhere he stood up and moved to exit the room, "I hope this is worth it."

* * *

"I was expecting a call from you, just didn't think it would be this soon," Trowa's smooth voice held slight amusement at being able to predict his friend's movements this easily.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes a trait he was trying his hardest not to pick up from Relena "I'll be there in two days."

"That's strange I could have sworn you had a travel companion." The smile on Trowa's face completely evident in his voice.

Heero couldn't help the smirk which tugged his lips "And here I thought Duo was my only annoying friend." The two always had a way of communicating, it was easy and natural.

This time Trowa chuckled out right "I'm honored by the title."

"Annoying or friend." For some reason Heero's monotonous voice made that statement a whole lot funnier.

"Hm if I didn't know better that might actually sound like humor."

"Good thing you know better."

"This trip couldn't have come at a better time, next you'll be braiding your hair."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Relena and Hilde sat on opposite sides of the kitchen island huddled over two steaming cups of coffee. It had become sort of their ritual. The boys had the basement, they had the kitchen. It was 6:30 in the morning the scent of freshly brewed coffee permeated the air, the heat from the cup slightly warming their chilled bodies. There was something so peaceful about this time of day. The hustle and bustle of life having not yet started, had she been on earth Relena would have opened a window and let the day welcome her with the cascade of colours as the sun made its grand entrance. Staring into her mug she let her finger glide around the rim "We're leaving tomorrow."

"I know, just when I was enjoying your company." Hilde replied, not even bothering to mask her amusement.

"As if it takes that long!" Relena shot back instantly.

The two women smiled at each other mirroring their contentment and mutual affection. Hilde's smile faded first her hands grabbing the nearby kitchen towel, folding it, attempting to figure out what shape it looked best in. The exercise stopped as abruptly as it started still her hands and eyes lingered on the fabric.

"Relena?"

"Hmm?" her response was automatic completely unaware of her friends anxious tells.

"What are you and Heero doing?"

Relena took a sip of her coffee, "What do you mean?"

"Why are you here?"

Relena laughed softly "Because I want a few days. Wasn't it only two days ago you told me I deserved this?"

Hilde's eyes narrowed, "So you take a vacation with your body guard instead of your boyfriend?"

Relena's mouth gaped, her back bristled at the statement come accusation. Noticing Relena's reaction she added "Not wanting to pry or anything and maybe you didn't want the hassle, was just curious that's all." She waved her hands in front of her like white flags. It seemed to work as her friend's posture relaxed.

"He's not by boyfriend, we're just," she trailed off hearing footsteps behind her.

"Don't mind me ladies woke up with an almighty thirst." His eyes gleamed at what he thought was an awfully clever choice of words. Unfortunately the other occupants in the room took no notice of it. His disappointment quickly waned replaced once again by mirth 'guess not everyone is as sharp as I am this early' he thought.

"We're just dating?" Relena finally continued, deciding that Duo probably knew just as much as anyone else.

"Why?"

In the corner of the kitchen Duo gulped his juice directly from the carton. He didn't exactly want to eaves drop but as he was already here, he decided getting a glass would be a logical excuse for prolonging his stay, not to mention the glass would have to be washed, maybe air dried.

"What do you mean why?"

"I mean why even start a relationship, why start dating?"

It was a logical question considering her feelings for Heero, she never actually made any attempt at hiding them. "I didn't, I wouldn't have except," she paused letting out her millionth sigh "except Heero told me to."

A duet remarkably in unison exclaimed at the statement "What?"

No longer feeling the need to appear disinterested Duo walked up to the counter placing both hands on the stainless steel top to carry most of his weight. Relena shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting from Hilde to Duo as they waited for her to continue.

"I had been out with Nicolai a few times, it's not the first time I'd gone on dates, you know that."

Hilde only nodded not wanting to interrupt.

"At first he was ok, Heero was ok. He's used to chaperoning me by now, but then he changed he became distant and cold. I thought it was because he didn't want me going out with Nicholai. I eventually decided it wasn't worth it and I was going to stop seeing Nicolai when Heero had a change of heart." The last few words came out as a hushed whisper but the pain was loud and clear.

"When?"

Relena looked up sharply, brows furrowed in a wordless inquiry to the question. Unfortunately Duo couldn't see her face. His head hung low between his shoulders, his face hidden as he absorbed her words. When no response was offered he asked again, his upbeat voice reverberated a tone that would rival Heero's. "When did he have this change of heart?"

Did it matter, she thought to herself, she could only shake her head in confusion still the words escaped her. "The day of Doctor Blair's funeral."

Pushing off the counter, Duo shoved his fists in the pockets of his jeans. He stormed out the door one thought on his mind, 'that bastard'.

Fifteen minutes later and Relena was still sitting at the kitchen island. Now alone, her confessions lingered in the air. She almost regretted telling them not because she didn't want them to know but because she would have to admit it to herself in the process. He told her to.

She had just returned home from Dr. Blair's funeral, nothing brought life into perspective than the realization that we didn't have forever. It had been the wakeup call she needed. She peered into her coffee cup, the liquid she found there becoming a wormhole to the not so distant past.

 _She was sitting at her dresser removing her jewelry and accessories, stealing glances at him in the mirror. He was standing at the door tall, dark and brooding in a three piece black suit sans the tie. She took a breath and began her speech. "Life is short." A curt nod responded to her statement. She spun on the small bench to face him "We shouldn't waste it, I won't waste it." He walked towards her halting his stride when he was in arms reach. He reached out and smoothed her hair with his hand. "He's the better choice." Her eyes went wide, her feet sprang to life "He's not my choice!" They stared at each other and into each other, an intense battle of blue. He leaned into her, his nose brushing her cheek his hand on her chin. He spoke in a whisper. "Make the better choice."_

A loud crash brought Relena back to reality. 'This couldn't be healthy' she thought, realizing how often thoughts of the past were plaguing her lately. A second crash got her attention, but it was Hilde's voice which sent her into action. She jumped off her stool and ran toward the living room. As soon as she crossed the threshold she froze.

* * *

Heero stood hands clenched at his sides moving in what could only be called slow motion. He wiped his face on his sleeve. Normally witnessing a person move at that pace might be comedic but on Heero it was just menacing. Not two feet away Hilde was holding onto Duo for dear life. Her hands balled into fists in his shirt. Obviously Duo had decided to calm down, he wasn't resisting her grip which was probably more about not wanting to injure her than it was about the other man in the room. On the floor between them was a colorful arrangement of glass in many different sizes. By the patterns and colours they were the twin vases which sat on opposite sides of the coffee table. "What's gotten into you Duo?" Hilden asked in a voice laden with concern and anger. The two men just stood glaring at each other, waiting for the other to move. Duo's posture relaxed further, "you're a piece of work." He shrugged out of Hilde's grip retreating to the kitchen. Hilde followed suit, as she walked by she could only shrug her shoulders, a shake of her head confirming she had no clue what had happended. Relena finally found her feet, she took a few tentative steps forward "Are you alright?" She was then staring at his back as he began walking to the direction of his room. "I'll survive." She hesitated only briefly remembering her own words 'life is short' before she continued after him.

In the kitchen Hilde began to nurse Duo's injuries. They had been unnoticeable in the heat of the moment, but now she could definitely see the bruise on his right cheek.

"What the hell was that?" she slapped the ice on the side of his head

"Nothing."

"Nothing doesn't make you attack your friend." She replied still holding the ice to his face.

"How'd you feel about a trip to L3?" he attempted to change the subject, he couldn't tell her she'd be liable to attack Heero herself.

"With heero and Relena? How come?"

No escape, still he tried "It'll be fun like a double date." He plastered his biggest grin in a last ditch attempt to persuade her.

She stared at him, unwavering. "You're lying."

"Pretend I'm not."

"Ok I'm going to trust you…just, this, once." She emphasized each word with a poke to his shoulder.

He enveloped her in a bear hug the ice pack falling to the floor "That's why I Iove ya!"

"Yea, yea."

* * *

Relena found Heero sitting on the window bench of the guest room, one foot firmly on the floor the other bent on top of the furniture, his knee becoming an arm rest for his injured hand. She took her seat at the adjacent corner. Assessing him, her eyes halted on the hand perched on his knee. The knuckles an interesting shade of red. "Duo's face did that to your hand?" she asked as she took his hand in hers examining the appendage.

"My hand did that to his face."

She glared at him, feigning impatience, "I see your body is bruised but your ego came out unscathed." His face threatened a smile "Hn."

She released his hand, which automatically retracted to its original position. "What was that about?"

The threat of a smile vanished behind a wall of perfected indifference, he only stared at her, his expression betraying no hint of what he was thinking or feeling. The hand at his side reached out, not to touch her but as a silent invitation. One she took. She switched positions sliding across the bench until her back came into contact with his chest. The hand on his knee moving to wrap around her décolletage the other around her waist, his chin propped against her head. She closed her eyes.

Duo's punched had caught him on the chin, which despite its position was barely painful. He inhaled deeply, allowing her scent to intoxicate his senses. She was a calming presence for him, always has been. Even during their teenage years, his time in the Sanc Kingdom was sobering, peaceful, despite the war raging around them. He blinked at his own choice of words. She brought peace wherever she went. On his part destruction seemed to follow wherever he went. His grip on her tightened Duo's words assaulting his thoughts.

"You're going to destroy her!"

"I'm protecting her."

"By steering her into the arms of the enemy"

He pushed the thought aside. He was doing this to protect her, he was doing the right thing. His silent reassurance wasn't enough, not this time. Duo's words were like salt to an opened wound, a self-inflicted wound.

During her courtship with Staten he had been withdrawn even cold toward her and her attempts to be near him, though it wasn't for the reason she thought. Instead of jealousy fueling his reactions it was guilt. He had been battling with the decisions for weeks. He knew her, he knew it was only a matter of time but ending her relationship with Staten wouldn't have neutralized the threat. It simply made it harder to track. Her relationship bought them time, time to figure out what was really going on, its key players and ultimate objective while giving him the opportunity to keep an eye on both of them. It was a calculated decision, a soldier's decision. He was never so grateful for his years of military training and conditioning until that day. As he said the words necessary to guide her in the right direction, it was all he could rely on to keep his voice steady and even then he had to whisper. He had left immediately, knowing that his resolve would not have been strong enough had he stayed.

Relena felt his grip tighten around her. She was slightly struggling to breathe, not because of his grip but for lack of wanting to disturb him. She could sense his struggle. His head dropping from her hair to press against the curve in her neck. She didn't know what to say to help him, she felt useless. She allowed her hand to find the back of his head allowing her fingers to roam freely through his hair. She could only hope her presence was enough. She felt his head lift from its position, her head turning in that direction, their eyes magnets for each other. There they sat forehead against forehead. Her heart sank slightly at the war waging behind his eyes. Her eyes fluttered downward unable to stand it. His hand on her chin brought her eyes back up to his. The anguish that was present only two seconds before was now replaced by something darker. She swallowed hard, recognizing the look on his face, her body reacting instantly in anticipation of what was about to happen. His lips descended on hers with an intensity that made her gasp. He used her surprise as an opening to plunge deeper, an act she returned wholeheartedly. Her hand in his hair urged him forward while her body moved instinctively in his embrace until she was straddling him. The close proximity not enough, he slid his hands up her legs halting on her hips he pulled her closer until there was no space left between them. Moments ticked by until a low groan from him indicated he had had enough. Tightening his grip on her hips he stood from the window. Her legs instantly wrapping around his waist as he walked towards the bed. He lowered her gently onto the surface, their bodies losing contact only momentarily. She could only hope her embrace provided sanctuary for him if only for a while.

* * *

Genres Lab was located on L3 naturally he'd be required to scout it out. Unlike its sister facility on L2 this building was a lot more secure and removed from public scrutiny. Where 360 Medical was an office that offered assistance to the public, Genres Labs short for Genetic Research was where the science unfolded behind the medical facility. Dressed in a black muscle T and skinny jeans he allowed his slim figure to work to his advantage. Getting in was the easy part, stowing away in one of the large vans carrying equipment. His surveillance revealing they were parked for the night after the last trip at 10:00. Infiltrating the actual building was also made simpler by the cast he made of one of the scientist hands the night he faked a mugging of the poor old man. It was one of the only ways he could think of to get the prints without alerting the scientist of his true intentions.

Getting past the first security point Trowa wondered down the white corridors. Not knowing exactly what he was looking for or where to find it increased the potential of getting caught but it was a risk he was willing to take after all Heero and the others were due to arrive tomorrow and he needed something to present for show and tell especially after hearing Duo's outing had been a bust. The thought made his green eyes sparkle, he could only imagine what measures Duo took to gather intel. He didn't want to be rude but his gift of spying was bar none even the great Heero Yuy would probably have to take a back seat. He often thought himself as the right mix of all his comrades. Personable like Duo without being annoying, kind like Quatre without it being too much of a weakness, quiet and calculating like Heero without being considered a psycho and hair almost as shiny as Wufei's, he smiled to himself, a guy can't have it all. Even through his musings he was taking stock of his surroundings. The building was every labs cliché, white walls and large glass doors scattered along the meandering corridors. The place seemed vaguely familiar but then that's what made it a cliché.

'Where would they hide their most valuable information?' he pondered the question, halting his advance behind a wall, allowing two men in white coats to walk pass. If it was up to him he'd hide his information in plain sight, but continuing along the lines of cliché he figured the door with the heaviest security and biggest guards was his best bet. 'Bingo!' Peering around what had to be his 100th corridor he saw them. Two guards, not the biggest he'd seen or expected but they were the only two he'd passed since he was in the building. No point in hiding. He revealed himself walking straight towards them. "Hey, I think I took a wrong turn back there any chance I could get some directions to the nearest exit?" The two guards glanced at each other. The two seconds of hesitation was all that he needed. With an aerial twist that reached unheard of elevation he was behind them, two quickly delivered hits to a sensitive spot on the neck and they were both incapacitated. "Hmm all bronze no brains." How many clichés was he going to have to encounter tonight? Retrieving the cast from his pocket he pressed the print into the scanner and entered the room, dragging the guards inside and tying their hands. Removing them from their stations might draw attention but leaving them unconscious in the corridor certainly would raise an alarm.

Looking around he noticed the room was filled with screens and computers of varying sizes. Clearly a communications center, mainframe or a combination of both the only thing that was clear was that this room had to contain valuable information. He sat down and got to work. This was going to be a painstaking process. Ten minutes later and he was looking over his shoulder for signs the guards were coming to, so far so good but he'd hate to have wasted all this time here for nothing. Contemplating moving on, he gave it one last try opening folders on the desktop in front of him. Sweat formed on his brow, not a particularly good sign considering the place was air conditioned. A name jumped out at him, Professor G. That piqued his interest, he was sure it wasn't going to be long before he saw another, and he did Doctor J. The doctors had a draw to each other, a strange comradery which was similar to that of the Gundam Pilots except much more twisted. The information was crucial but he needed more. He typed in a cross reference, any and all files with either Doctors or Nicolai Staten. Jackpot. He copied as much as he could ever mindful that taking too much would be easier to trace than small bits here and there.

Standing he glanced around the room making sure he wasn't leaving anything of himself behind. He left the room and all but sprinted through the hall retracing his earlier steps. Using the scientist's mold once more he exited the building. Calling on his acrobatic skills, he leapt atop the guard wall pausing momentarily before hopping over the other side. He landed with a thud. He couldn't stop the groan that escaped him. A few years ago he wouldn't have made a sound, landing with the precision of a cat, now his ankles were slightly stinging from the fall. He shook his head as he walked. 'This aging process was going to get him killed.'

* * *

It was close to midnight on Earth. The gardens of his estate was drowned in the blackness of the night, only a whisper of light escaping through the balcony doors that were open. He stood in the silence, leaning on the rail, a glass of wine in hand.

A shadow descended upon the balcony indicating he was no longer alone. "Sir?" the shadow inquired. There was no need to turn around. It was the voice of one his advisors. "What is it?" He replied coolly.

Standing in the doorway was a young man about twenty three, dressed professionally in a three piece suit despite the late hour. "Sir we've received word that one of our labs has been infiltrated."

Nicholai's eyes twitched, the only real indication he was upset by the news. "Which one?"

"Genres."

"What did they take?" He was torn between smiling and scowling. He was expecting this but it didn't make it any less annoying.

"Nothing, except, they triggered an internal alarm on the systems' computers based on the keywords we had pre-installed and monitored."

He turned around then, now completely interested in the conversation. "Which words?"

"You sir, more specifically your name and the scientists, we were unable to trace the exact nature of the breach, seems like whoever did it inserted a virus of their own which erased most of their movement. If it wasn't for that search and the trigger we might not have even known we were infiltrated."

"So, not just a spy but a professional spy. They are getting closer to our secrets and we've invested too much time and money for it to come undone so close to our goal."

"What will we do sir?" The younger man asked hesitantly.

Turning back to face the gardens he brought the glass to his lips. "Provide a distraction of course."

"What kind of distraction?" The young advisor was more than a little confused and concerned.

He rubbed a hand over his jawline his expression reflecting the coldness of the night, "Nothing captures people's attention quite like a dead body."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Notes: Original Character Ivy Shinto as Trowa's Love interest.

* * *

The trip to L3 was quieter than usual, tension still present between Heero and Duo meant chatter was at a minimum. Relena was grateful when they finally landed hopefully the circus was just the thing to lighten to mood.

They walked through the tent doors, joining the line with everyone else, no security, no back entrances. Up to this point her make shift disguise was doing a pretty good job. Besides being out of character she was also out of place which meant even if she looked familiar to anyone they'd probably just think she shared similar features with a famous person, it happened.

The four sat in the front row. It was exhilarating, from her seat she could hear the sounds of wild animals in the back, popcorn and cotton candy seducing her olfactory system and her stomach. She hadn't thought of buying anything, she was too thrilled with the idea of being here.

"Here!" Hilde shoved a big stick of pink cotton candy in her face, clearly not suffering from the same lapse of judgement. She all but snatched it in glee "Thanks."

"You excited or should I even ask."

Relena looked around her cotton candy to see Hilde snickering at her in between shoving popcorn in her mouth. "Am I that transparent?"

"A little." Hilde confirmed.

The lights in the tent dimmed all except those focused on the stage which was now illuminated in a kaleidoscope of colour. The structure of the show was well planned out with the mildest acts first slowly increasing in difficulty, skill and entertainment. Some just looked downright dangerous. The show started with a few juggling acts first with balls then bottles. It was entertaining enough. It quickly escalated, trapeze acts, flame throwers and swallowers, highline walkers and flying trapeze acts. She had her hand covering her face at one point, peeking between her fingers like she was at a horror movie. Beside her she could sense Heero looking at her in amusement, she dare not meet his gaze. So what she wasn't used to people throwing themselves from such high distances, in any other environment these kinds of stunts would get a person committed. Throw them in a colourful tent and charge admission and it becomes entertainment, go figure.

The animal exhibition was up next, probably a fan favorite by the sound of the crowd around her. In the row of seats above them a group of girls were practically screaming. She had turned to the sound to check to see if maybe something was wrong, far from it, they were clapping wildly hardly able to control themselves. She didn't get it. She caught Hilde's eye as she turned back toward the stage, furrowing her brow in the process. For her part Hilde just smiled, a knowing smile as if she knew what they were going on about but chose not to say. Guess she'll find out soon enough.

"Trowaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "He's so hot!"

She shook her head, this was one part of being a normal girl she wasn't sorry she missed out on. She stole a glance a Heero and chuckled. What on earth would he have done back then during their teenage years if she'd acted like this? Probably shot her. She laughed out loud at that. "Ahem." She attempted to clear her throat realizing she was getting strange looks from either side of her. The clown acts were coming to a close, they were used as fillers as the stage changed to accommodate each act.

The stage was now clear, a lone spotlight shone in the middle, standing at the center, a young clown, half his face covered by a mask, the other by his hair. He was bare from the waist up except for two tiny straps on his shoulders which connected to his pants. She was transfixed. An elbow nudge her side as Hilde leaned close into her ear. "Get it now?" She nodded, but it wasn't that she was attracted, not really, he just looked familiar. 'Liar!' sometimes her own thoughts betrayed her. The flame throwers also shared the stage. It was mesmerizing. They blew fire from the right, he dodged most skillfully landing on the back of an oncoming tiger. For the last act five flame throwers stood surrounding him. They blew on the flames engulfing his figure in a sea of bright orange. The crowd gasped. Or was that her, she couldn't tell. The five flames were beating against each other from each direction, clearly he was no longer in the center. "Look!" a voice from the crowd alerted them. Soaring above the flames was the clown, arms outstretched, feet glued securely together. He landed, one handed, upside down, on the tip of the trunk of a nearby elephant. Yup she totally got it now.

* * *

After the show ended they sat, waiting for the other patrons to leave. Apparently they had back stage passes. She felt like she was about to meet a celebrity, clearly on this colony he was. The four stood patiently, when a woman slightly older than they were waved at them. They followed her through a door at the back which opened into what looked like a small village with trailers and vans and a small court yard in the center. No one seemed to notice the out siders presence and if they did they didn't show it.

"Wait here, he'll be right out."

"Thanks Catherine." Duo replied. Clearly the only outsider here was her.

Not far away, the object of the young girls' affections was busy tending to the animals with which he was just performing. His affection for the creatures evident. He was fully dressed now, in a t-shirt and jeans, gone was the half mask. It was then she recognized him. He was a Gundam pilot, she was sure of it. Though she wasn't sure if they'd ever met in person. Standing next to him was a young woman, her face shone with adoration and admiration for the young man crouched next to her. Another fan perhaps.

"That was a great show Trowa." Ivy said to him as he continued to feed the animals.

He smiled, his voice smooth as silk. "You say that every time."

"That just means you don't ever have a bad show."

He stood at his full height close to four inches above her, "Or you're just biased."

She flushed, looking away she saw they had an audience. "Friends of yours?"

He turned slightly, "Yeah, I'll introduce you."

They walked the few feet to where the others were standing.

Trowa spoke as he got close, "You finally made it."

"Great show Trowa, as usual." Hilde beamed, she was clearly smitten.

"Thank you."

"See, so I'm not biased." Ivy chimed in.

"Ivy, these are Heero, Duo, Hilde and," He paused, looking at her, waiting for confirmation.

She extended her hand. "Relena Darlian, pleased to meet you."

He took her hand, his one eye sparkling. "Trowa Barton."

"Were you expecting me to give you a fake name?" She asked cocking her head to a side as she did, his momentary surprise not escaping her.

"Hmm why not? I gave you one."

Her smiled widened, a charmer this one.

He continued, "This is Ivy Shinto."

Relena looked over his shoulder at the girl who seemed to be trying very hard to hide her surprise. She looked roughly the same age as herself, hair that fell close to Duo's length and round hazel eyes.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Darlian." She shifted unconsciously as she spoke.

"Please, just call me Relena, anyone hears the name Darlian and I'll have to cut my time here short."

* * *

Hilde, Relena, Ivy and Catherine spent the rest of the day being as ridiculous as humanly possible. Catherine had made it a point to make sure they all got the clown special. White paint on their faces, a horrible amount of blush and lipstick colours that should never have been invented. Their hair was teased, and their clothes, their clothes were either hideous or non-existent. It was a combination of shorts that were too short, vests with holes, thigh high multicolored socks and matching arm warmers. They looked like the jokers side chicks. After the make over from hell, Catherine then attempted to teach them circus tricks, the ones that passed security clearance of course.

Hilde had found herself perched atop a unicycle, Catherine held the back of it to keep it steady.

"You ready?" Catherine asked.

"Yup! Let her rip"

Catherine did as she was told, giving Hilde a slight nudge forward. "There ya go, you've got this."

Hilde didn't reply, she hardly breathed afraid she was going to topple over if she so much as blinked. After a few seconds she began to relax, "Hey, I'm really getting the hang of …." Her words were cut short when she tipped over landing face first in the dirt.

Duo shook his head and cringed, "That's gonna leave a mark."

* * *

After the day's activities the girls had crashed, hard. If he didn't know better he'd thought they were out drinking. He still felt the need to check to make sure they were asleep before he headed towards the others. They didn't need an audience for this conversation. Trowa exited the trailer careful not to make a sound before he headed to where he knew Duo and Heero were waiting.

At the back of the circus village was his own hideaway, completely off limits to the others. Being the quiet recluse he was, in addition to his reputation among his circus family as a Gundam pilot meant no one violated that privacy. He hadn't quite shut the door behind him before Duo started in.

"Whatdya find?"

"Drink?" He ignored Duo and walked toward a small cooler, pulling out a beer for himself before offering one to each of them. They both declined. He sat down, taking his time to uncork the bottle. Duo sighed. He retrieved his laptop from a locked drawer, then took a sip from of his beer. Duo groaned. Trowa couldn't hide his amusement. He was clearly enjoying this slow torture of his friend.

"Can we get on with it?" Duo exclaimed finally having enough.

He put his beer down on the floor at his feet, play time was over. He turned out the laptop, not that he needed it the information was burned into his memory. "Our suspicions have all been confirmed. 360 Med and Genres labs are definitely fronts but from the looks of things the puppet masters aren't OZ at all."

"What do you mean?" Heero said finally making his presence known.

Trowa: "I mean I found information detailing the involvement of Professor G and Dr. J, so unless they were working for OZ this entire time and we were wrong about them and their allegiance during the wars there's no way the facilities are still under OZ control."

Duo: "So they'll use OZ's reputation to blame them for whatever they're up to."

Trowa: "Logical conclusion."

Duo: "What exactly are they up to?"

Trowa: "Whatever it is they're keeping under heavy lock and key, it wasn't in anything I hacked into."

Duo smirked, "I thought you said you found something."

"This isn't a contest Duo, but if you want to make it into one I've still got you beat." He took a swig of his beer then. "Can I continue?" A low incomprehensible grumble from Duo was his only reply.

Trowa: "Nicolai Staten's name also came up in the files. Turns out that's not his real name."

Duo: "Seems there's a lot of that going around."

Trowa smiled, "His real name is Nicolai Van Domein. The file merely had a little background information, where he grew up, went to school, and a few medical records."

Heero: "That name sounds familiar."

Trowa: "Yeah that's what I thought so after I left Genres I went on a fishing expedition. Nicholai Van Domein is the grandson of Lord Christian Van Domein, atleast he was until he changed his name. Van Domein Senior was a member of the Romefeller foundation."

Duo: "You're kidding me."

Trowa: "No, but he was a plant, by the scientists. It seems he was the reason we were always ableto predict OZ's movements. He fed the scientists the information who then fed it to us."

Heero: "You trust this source?"

Trowa: "There's not much a guy would lie about dangling twenty feet from the ground."

Duo: "I'm taking that offer for a drink now, but I need something stronger than a beer."

Trowa: "Help yourself."

Duo walked over to a cabinet in the corner where the strong stuff was beckoning. He pulled out a glass and took a shot of vodka. "So Nicholai has decided to take his grandfather's position working for the weirdos."

Trowa: "Whatever it is they're working on it's spanned over eight years and it's still incomplete otherwise they wouldn't need those labs."

Duo: "So we can link the scientist with Staten or whoever his name is, and we can also link them to Romefeller, there's still one link missing."

Heero: "Relena."

Trowa: "There's still one guy who can shed some light on this for us."

The other two occupants waited for him to share his idea.

Trowa: "Howard, don't forget he helped create the Tallgese which means he was there at the very beginning. He probably has some valuable information."

Duo: "Haven't seen that guy in years."

Heero: "He's on earth."

Trowa eyed Heero, earth is probably the last place he wants to go. He asked the question even though he probably already knew the answer. "Are you ready to go back there?"

Heero: "It can't be helped."

* * *

The sound of metal hitting metal raked on his nerves, it was the scientist calling card and he swore he did it to annoy anyone who had the misfortune of being in his presence. The sixty inch screen blared to life on the wall in front of him. He'd spoken with this man on many occasions over the years but he always had to steel his nerves before every encounter.

"Doctor, I appreciate you returning my call." Nicholai said as he sat in front of the screen, it was the only thing he could do to stop his nerves from showing.

The image of a grey haired old man stared back at him, "I don't appreciate being summoned."

"I didn't mean to give you that impression but I needed to speak with you urgently."

The doctor adjusted his spectacles, "Yes I suppose you did, I heard about the mishap you had at Genres. Expect more of that to come. The Gundam pilots are like blood hounds once they catch your scent there's no shaking them."

He scowled at the comment, he never quite knew which side the Doctor was on sometimes he even sounded like a proud father when he spoke about the Gundam Pilots. "I'm beginning to see that. That's the reason why I'm calling. Doctor Fenty, how close of an ally is he?"

"Why do you ask?"

"His prints were confirmed at the points of entry for that 'mishap' as you put it."

"Go on."

"What I'm asking is, is he dispensable?"

The doctor gave an amused smirk, followed by an annoyed scowl, "Do as you wish, they won't be so easily fooled."

"They've been fooled up to this point haven't they, you give them too much credit."

"You'll regret it if you don't give them enough."

* * *

Relena was thoroughly enjoying her stay at the circus. Trowa, it seemed had made arrangements for them, clearly he knew they were coming. Much like Duo did when they arrived on L2. She wasn't surprised in the least by the thought nor was she concerned. Right on cue she saw the subject of her thoughts sitting at one of the picnic benches dotted around the village. She smiled as her words formed in her head.

"Can I sit beside you Heero?" she leaned over him, "Before you answer just remember we're not in my country so I can't just do whatever I want." He smiled, one of those rare Heero smiles that melted her heart.

"You can still do whatever you want." He watched her as she sat down.

"We're not all blessed with that trait as you Heero." She rested a hand on his shoulder followed by her chin. "You planned this whole thing didn't you even before we left."

Her statement surprised him, to his surprise he had felt a second of panic, until he saw the smile on her face. He relaxed.

"Thank you!"

He enjoyed her appreciation while it lasted.

* * *

"This looks delicious!" Hilde was all but salivating over the food splayed in front of them. The seven friends hand pushed two picnic tables together and were about to sit down to a feast.

Relena: "Did you do this Catherine?"

Catherine: "No Trowa did." She winked at her brother as she spoke.

Hilde elbowed Duo, "How come you never cook?!"

"Don't be too hard on him Hilde," Trowa interjected, "He's already suffered a humiliating defeat by my hand for the week we can forgive him this small….foible."

"Bite me Barton!"

"You're not my type." He said flatly, his green eye meeting Ivy's hazel. Her cheeks would rival that of any clown with the shade of red it turned.

The group talked, laughed, ate and drank. Relena took in the moment. This right here was exactly what she had envisioned. This was the normal she craved. Her reflections were cut short. Trowa slammed his drink onto the table, standing to his feet. "What the hell?"

Everyone turned in the direction of his focus to see what had caused his sudden outburst.

One the vid screen located in the center of the village a news caster was reporting the death of someone.

"Dr. Fenty was found at his home late this afternoon unresponsive, an ambulance was called but he was pronounced dead at the scene a heart attack being determined as the cause of death. Dr. Fenty was a world renowned geneticist and one of the founders of Genres Labs. "

They all looked from the screen back to Trowa, unable to understand his outburst. He looked downed at their confused faces, lingering on Duo and Heero. "I know him, we met briefly only two days ago. He offered his help with a problem I was having I couldn't have solved it without him."

"Life, it can be so fleeting sometimes." Catherine added solemnly.

Not one to tolerate a sad moment Hilde raised her glass, "That's why moments like this should be enjoyed am I right? Cheers to life." They all raised their glass at that.

* * *

"Heero, I was expecting this call days ago." Commander Une's voice lacked its usual patience.

"There was nothing to report."

She took a deep breath to calm herself, engaging in a verbal war of any kind with Heero Yuy was an act of futility.

"You're calling now, does this have anything to do with the death of that doctor?" She pressed.

"What course of action do you intend to take."

"The preventers will obviously have to investigate this. Two prominent doctors in the same field from the same company dying under the same circumstances is too much of a coincidence for us to ignore."

As he expected, this is precisely why he was calling, "That's what he wants us to do. It's less man power and resources at our disposal to investigate him."

"Be that as it may, the eyes of the world are always on us. We need the public to trust our efforts, we need the ESUN to trust our efforts as well. We can't be seen as conveniently choosing what we do and don't investigate."

She had a point and he knew it, still it irked him to think they were playing right into Staten's hands. "You're letting him get to you."

His powers of perception weren't dulled by the distance of this conversation she on earth him in space. "I'm not worried about my own position if that's what you mean. My position is not set in stone, even if I was to be removed or replaced because of our actions it shouldn't reflect on the organization as a whole. The ESUN needs the preventers, the body, and the organization. Its name and presence alone gives would be offenders pause. That reputation is what we need to protect."

"Understood."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

A/N: mild language ahead

* * *

She was on a shuttle again for the third time inless than two weeks. It wasn't an issue for her, with her job the way it was she was used to traveling often and at short notice. It had thrown her only slightly when Heero had announced they were leaving and heading back for earth, disappointed that her time with her friends both new and old was coming to an end. It was short lived however when she realised they'd all be going. Well, they were one short since Catherine opted to stay behind and take care of Trowa's responsibilities in his absence, a role with which she probably had a lot of practice.

She sat sandwiched between Hilde and Ivy, the image of the girls' she had witnessed that day in her office flashing in her mind. It was amazing how quickly life could change sometimes. Two weeks ago she was feeling old, now she felt like just one of the girls.

"Whoohoo road trip!" Hilde screeched as the shuttle began its taxi.

Laughing Relena corrected the woman's mistake, "Space trip!"

"Um, earth trip?" The question came from the far right next to the window. Hilde and Relena both turned their heads at Ivy, a second later they were all giggling. Truth be told it was Ivy that had really influenced the turn of events. She had never been to earth, never been to the beach she had confessed. Relena couldn't stop herself from extending the invitation. She had spent the last week and a half doing things she'd never done before so she decided to pay it forward.

Ivy sat flipping through a women's magazine, "Where will we be staying once we reach earth?"

The question wasn't posed to anyone in particular but Relena fielded it, "Corsica an island in the Mediterranean, I have access to a beach house there. We'd have the entire place to ourselves."

Hilde leaned forward in her seat making full eye contact with Ivy, "And by have access, she means owns. Just saying."

Trowa and Heero took their seats on the other side of the shuttle in the same row maintaining unobstructed visual. Duo on the other hand had made his bed on the row of seats in front of the three women shamelessly taking up all three without remorse.

"Will Howard be available by the time we reach earth?" Trowa asked.

Heero nodded his confirmation. He had called Howard only a few hours after they realised his help would be required. It was imperative Howard got there before they did in order to maintain the flow of the trip and not arouse suspicion. Timing was everything. Howard had always been something of a beach bum himself if his choice of clothing was any indication so getting him to agree to a trip which allowed him to lounge had been the easiest thing he'd have to do in two weeks.

* * *

Disembarking the shuttle the group had split up for the journey to the house. The obvious pairings were separated. Heero and Ivy travelled in a silver sedan, Trowa and Hilde on a hideously green motorcycle while Relena and Duo drove in style in a white minivan. Needless to say the self-proclaimed god was not too pleased by the arrangement. She wasn't sure what had annoyed him, Hilde tightly buckled around Trowa closer than any seat belt or not getting a cool ride. Giggling she shook her head, 'Poor guy'. She had no doubt the arrangement was designed out of some kind of security protocol. Travelling with one pilot was hard but travelling with three? She sighed, she hadn't even bothered to ask where they materialized these vehicles. Instead she soothed herself with the idea that Heero had called ahead to arrange it.

To be honest there was a part of her that was elated to be travelling with them like this, it gave her a small glimpse of what they were probably like during the war, toned down by a hundred. When they had landed at the space port on earth she had watched them intently. The three of them walking side by side looked like an ordinary group of guys, except there was an obvious edge. An edge that made people step out of their path when they saw them coming.

At one point they were all required to walk through the space port security checks which included body scans, metal detectors or both. She had been slightly surprised that Heero didn't just declare his weapons. As an active agent he'd be allowed. But remembering the conversation she had had with Une and the fact that even the Commander didn't seem to know where they were she realised that this was his way of going undetected. Had he revealed his status, security would have to call preventers to verify, which would automatically reveal their location. 'Look at you thinking like a Gundam pilot', she slapped her hand over her face in an attempt to hide her inside joke. She had been anxious watching them walk through the scanners, if she'd learned anything, anything at all it was that they probably all had weapons. She had watched the screen waiting for it to alarm. Nothing. She breathed a sigh of relief. After she and the other women had stepped through she had caught a glimpse of Trowa in the corner of her eyes. His hand accidentally brushing against the scanner door as he slightly tripped. Except when did they ever trip?

She had caught up to Trowa then, eager to know. "What did you do?" She asked before she could stop herself. His calm expression never wavered and with no hesitation he had held out his hand to show her a tiny object the size of a penny but half its width. "The computer was preloaded with images of our bodies, once we activated it, those images showed on screen as we walked through, while this device provided interference so the metal detectors wouldn't go off." Her mouth fell open, she really shouldn't have been surprised. She had been walking through these things for days without being recognized. Still she had been, more so by the realization of the effort and lengths it took to evade security. "When did you find time to…." She stopped mid-sentence raising her hand to halt any more words out of his mouth. "I don't want to know." Criminals the lot of them, but loveable criminals nonetheless.

* * *

At a little past three in the afternoon they drove through the gates of the private residence equipped with its own private beach. It was a traditional Mediterranean style split level home. The interior was elegant with high ceilings, arches, mahogany stained crowned molding and hard wood floors. The design and layout took advantage of its beach location. Walking inside the large family room the view of the ocean greeted its guests through a wall of French doors, the beach was literally their back yard.

Ivy strolled toward the wall of windows, the view before her breathtaking. "Wow!" She spun around to face her friends. "Let's go in!"

Hilde sat her bags down on the floor, "Aren't we an eager beaver?"

Ivy furrowed her brows, "Is that a yes?"

Kicking off her shoes Relena started for the stairs, "We'll change and head out. Last one in makes dinner!"

"No fair!"

"Relena!"

They sprinted up the stairs on her heels. Five minutes later they were in the ocean."

The three men were less excited by the thought of swimming, instead they had taken the time to surveil their surroundings both inside and out. While making his rounds a particular object caught Trowa's eye, a painting in the living room of a child on a swing hanging next to a window. Normally something like that wouldn't be suspect but he saw the same painting in the kitchen and two of the upstairs bedrooms. Either the designer had no imagination or it was there on purpose. He decided on the latter. He entered a room upstairs where Heero and Duo had congregated. Heero sat at a desk hovered over a computer screen, while Duo was leaning out the window, its position giving him a perfect view of the women down stairs.

"This house is being monitored." It was a cross between a statement and a question.

Heero who was typing on his computer didn't look up, "Yes."

Duo turned around then, a low chuckle in his chest. He was becoming less and less surprised by Heero's revelations, but more and more irritated as well. "Monitored?"

Heero stopped typing. He glanced at Duo, the last time they'd had a conversation along these lines it didn't end well. "Staten has had this and two other of her residences under surveillance for a while."

Duo broke out in hysterical laughter but there was nothing humourous in his tone. "This just gets better and better. Why the hell did you let us come here?" Realising he wasn't going to get an answer and not wanting a repeat of what happened on L2 Duo decided it was best to just leave the room. With Duo gone Heero resumed his work on the computer. The other occupant spoke up, "He's right to be upset you know, you're gambling. In the past when we made gambles we suffered the consequences alone. It's not like that anymore. Will it be worth it to get your man and lose her in the process?" Trowa made that his last statement before he too left the room.

Heero didn't respond to the question, he couldn't. He didn't owe them an explanation, or did he? He got up from his seat and strode to the window. Below Duo and Trowa had joined the girls on the beach. Duo and Trowa were here because of him, Ivy and Hilde were there because of them maybe he did owe them an explanation.

The fact of the matter is, this was the only avenue left for him to take. Left up to his own devices he never would have returned. He would have kept her out of sight forever. He had the skills to do it but that's no life, not for her. She deserved better than a life on the run and if he was going to give her better he had to find out what Staten wanted and stop him. For good. To do that he needed to face it head on, he needed to bring her back. He knew this house was monitored, he knew it was only a matter of time before they came but this was all he could do. When they did come he'd let her go but he'd never be able to deliver her to them himself, he didn't have it in him.

* * *

Nicolai smiled at his own reflection, the feeling of triumph burning in his chest. As expected the preventers had switched gears. They were investigating Dr. Fenty's death trying to find a link to Dr. Blair. Those fools would be chasing their tails and they'd stay chasing them if he had anything to do with it. Riding in the back of his limo, he dialed Lady Une on his portable vid phone. "Colonel, it's always a pleasure to be see and speak with you."

Out of his view she tapped her fingers impatiently, she was getting a little tired of him, more than a little tired. "Why must we constantly replay the same dialogue every time we speak, I told you before I don't carry that title anymore."

"You're right, please accept my apologies. Let's not sour what should be a joyous exchange."

Her eyebrow quirked slightly, "Did something happen?"

Nodding slowly he added, "Relena has returned to earth, she's in Corsica, I'm on my way there as we speak. I'm requesting a preventer detail to accompany me."

Lady Une was automatically suspicious for several reasons. One that he had actually found them and two that he was requesting preventer aid. "Why do you need preventer escorts?"

This game of chess was heating up. "I really don't know what shape Relena is in, it's been a while since I've seen or spoken to her, I just want to cover all my bases. Just in case."

And there it was, he was essentially calling her bluff. If she refused he'd have reason to question her involvement in Relena's hiatus which would just lead to other questions they weren't ready to answer but if she agreed she'd be admitting she was out of the loop in regards to Relena's whereabouts, which wasn't good either considering she supposedly had a preventer escort. She closed her eyes briefly and made her decision. She'd leave the rest in Heero's hands. "Of course, I'll reroute the closest agents to your location. They should be there in less than three hours."

"Thank you Commander." He pushed a button to end the call. Now he just had to make sure he got to Relena before the preventers did. There was more than one way to skin the proverbial cat. He'd get Agent Yuy removed from her detail one way or another and as he made the trip to see his dear Relena he was already formulating the best way to do just that.

* * *

After spending close to two hours in the water the three women decided it was time to return to dry land. Duo hand built a bon fire on the beach which was now coming in handy to provide warmth to their bones. After dinner they sat around the fire each with a glass of wine.

Ivy broke the silence first. "So is this what your teenage years were like Relena? Bonfires and alcohol?"

"Far from it, I've never done this before either." Relena confessed. "Sure I've been to the beach but not like this. No my teenage years were spent-"

"Chasing Heero around the world?" Hilde finished her sentence.

Relena was stunned into silence only momentarily before she found her fight, "Atleast when I chased him I didn't get myself blown up in the process!"

"Ouch! Take that back" Hilde demanded, flicking a little sand in Relena's direction.

"So you were involved in the war too Hilde?" Ivy interrupted the fake fight.

"I was actually a soldier in Oz, before I met Duo. He totally changed my outlook though."

Sighing Ivy placed her glass down on the sand, drawing her knees into her chest. "I see."

Relena and Hilde exchanged worried glances. They didn't know each other long but it was obvious the girl was upset. "What's wrong?" Hilde asked.

"It's just I can't figure out why Trowa likes me, here you guys are ex-soldiers and vice foreign ministers, and I'm just me. A student at university whose most exciting story is going to a Sydney Piers concert. I've lived a pretty sheltered life, I can see why you guys are appealing but why would he want me around?"

Relena couldn't help but empathise with Ivy, being unsure about someone's feelings for you isn't the best feeling. She placed a hand on the girl's knee in an attempt the comfort her. "You shouldn't think like that, there's nothing wrong with living a sheltered life. Your parents protected you from the harshness of war am I right?" Ivy looked up then barely moving her head in confirmation so Relena continued. "There ya go, we didn't have that and between you and me I'd rather have my father than his job. Look around, I had to take two weeks off from work, break every rule imaginable and some that I probably can't even imagine just to get a taste of what you get every day. Don't dismiss what you have so easily."

Hilde took that as her cue to add her two cents as well. "Yeah, those guys in there have seen more than most people see in a lifetime they didn't get to be sheltered. I can't exactly say what he sees when he looks at you but I can tell you what he probably doesn't see. Judgement for his past mistakes or actions, or the weight of expectation based on what you think he should be, because you're totally clueless about that stuff."

Relena nudge her at that last statement, "Hilde, you're supposed to be helping!"

"I am!" Hilde defended. "I'm just saying he gets a clean slate with her, and he probably enjoys that, we're all struggling to fit in in this world of peace and find our definition of normal. "You," she pointed at Ivy, "are his definition of normal. Those guys don't know how to lie, so trust me, if he's with you it's because he wants to be, so stop ruining a great night!" Relena could only roll her eyes, deep down she knew Hilde meant well, she just wasn't into the emotional scene.

* * *

By six o clock the day was winding down, the women were in the family room curled up on the plush sofas watching The Notebook. They must have chosen that on purpose so they could have the room to themselves. Taking the hint the boys retired to the rec room, a combination of beers and vodka littered around the pool table in the center. Trowa bent over to take his shot, "When are we meeting with Howard?" ever the conversationalists their topics always reverted to business. Standing on the other side of the table, cue stick in hand Heero scrutinized the moves unfolding in front of him, "Tomorrow."

Duo snickered, he was sprawled out on a leather sofa by the window, "If we last that long." He was still peeved from earlier and he was done trying to hide it. Trowa straightened, his shot was successful. He was about to respond to Duo when the gleam from headlights outside came through the window. Duo's prediction, it seems, was spot on. They were here.

Heero walked into the foyer to meet them. Standing facing the entrance, he waited, Duo and Trowa stood behind, flanking him. The door flew open. Staten. A sly smile played on his features. He wasn't alone either three armed security personnel came in close behind him. Cutting straight to the chase Staten set the tone of the proceedings, "Where is she?"

From her seat close to the doorway, Hilde could hear the low rumbling of voices. She tried to ignore it but when it began to break her concentration from the hot guy on the screen she had had enough. She got up and walked to the arch, peeking around she saw seven men standing around. She recognized the three backing her, the other four however looked like they'd just stepped out of the Matrix movie, fully attired in black suits and matching trench coats. She was nervous, she didn't like the look of this not one bit. She whispered as low as she could while also trying to be audible. She called, "Relena."

Relena sat clutching a throw pillow fully engrossed in the film, "What?" she asked never taking her eyes from the screen.

Urgency fueled Hilde, "Relena come here." When she realised Relena wasn't going to move she added "Nicolai is here."

Relena and Ivy both turned their heads, Ivy speaking first, "Who is Nicholai?"

Relena's response was to run to the doorway to see what Hilde was talking about, clearly the woman was mistaken. Except she wasn't. Relena's blood ran cold, her hands slightly trembling, she had to clutch the archway for support.

"Relena you have to go out there." Hilde pressed.

"What?"

Hilde felt a small pang of guilt, looking at Relena she could see the uncertainty and nerves in the woman's face but the scene in the hall looked set on a timer. Heero would do anything to protect Relena but Duo was out there too and his loyalty would tell him to back up his friends. She was probably being a little selfish at the moment, and she was sure she'd hate herself for it tomorrow if not right now but she couldn't help herself.

If Ivy had felt out of place before, now she just felt invisible watching the two women. They were fun to be around but in this moment she realised just how little she really knew, "What's going on, who is he?"

Relena stared at them, Hilde was right, she had to go out there. She could stop this from escalating. She had to. She inhaled deeply trying to find her strength and resolve. Gathering her wits she walked into the foyer. It made no sense for her to pretend like she didn't know what was happening so she walked right in the middle of the group of men. And stopped.

Nicolai rushed toward her gathering her up into a huge hug, her feet momentarily leaving the floor. Setting her down, he cupped her face in both his hands, "Relena, I've been so worried about you." He placed a kiss on her forehead, making sure to meet Heero's eyes as he did. She flinched inwardly, "There was no need to worry. Really." She tried to reassure him hoping that her words would encourage him to release her. It didn't. He hugged her again, this time much more tenderly, burying his face in her neck as he did. He spoke in a low voice but still loud enough for their audience to hear. "There's so much we need to talk about, is there somewhere we can speak in private?" Relena nodded, "The kitchen." she said as she disentangled from him. Turning around she glanced quickly at Heero. She ducked her head pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she led Nicholai to the room in question.

Once they were out of sight Heero turned and sprinted up the stairs, his two friends in tow. He pushed open the door to an upstairs office and walked to a picture hanging on the wall. Retrieving a pen knife from a drawer he peeled away the picture inside the frame revealing a screen. Taking his phone from his pocket he entered a few codes, immediately the screen came to life, full audio and video of the room where Nicholai and Relena were.

In the privacy of the kitchen Nicholai's demeanor had changed. He was no longer doting on her, now he was just as she had remembered. He showed just enough to appear interested without ever showing any real emotion. Amazing how perceptions can change. She'd only been away from him for a matter of days, but that was all it took for her to become aware of what she was obviously blinded to before.

"Relena you owe me an explanation."

"I told you everything before I left."

He stood hovering over her, "You, told me nothing!"

Her voice caught in her throat she knew this conversation was going to happen sooner or later she just thought it was going to be later, she thought she had a few more days to plan.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"You're sorry, for what? For leaving? I actually entertained the notion you were kidnapped. It was the only conclusion I could come to as to why I wouldn't get so much as a call." He spoke with concern, but his eyes betrayed his amusement. He was enjoying this more than he probably should and he clearly didn't think he needed to hide it. "Listen we don't need to get into this now, we can talk on the ride home or tomorrow after a good night's rest." He was laying a well-developed trap. There was no doubt in his mind she wouldn't want to leave, now he just had to sit back and let her take the bait.

"I'm not leaving," Three months ago she was going to end it, considering the circumstances she might as well finish it now. The timing might be off, but it was better than standing here spewing apologies and feigning regret for what was two of the best weeks she'd ever had.

"Yes you are! His tone was hard but his volume was low. It was impressive how he managed to achieve both.

"No, I'm not, I .." she hesitated. What was she afraid of? She couldn't help but feel guilty. She had no right leading him on knowing it was going to end like this.

He smiled then, a twisted smile, he had her right where he wanted her, "So the rumors are true." Her eyes met his, the question written in bold print on her face. "How long has this be going on Relena? Before our relationship, during our relationship, did it ever stop? At first I had believed your hesitancy to share a bed with me was out of your strong sense of morals." He held her chin firmly in his hand forcing her to meet his gaze as he launched his attack. "Now I see you couldn't share my bed because you were already sharing his."

She gripped the edge of the counter behind her for support. Stunned was too mild a word to describe her at this moment, she had no words, no defense. Maybe she didn't deserve one, this was partially her fault and she would shoulder his anger.

"You carry a lot of titles Relena," He went for the jugular. "Vice Foreign Minister, Queen of the World, Dove of Peace, I never thought I'd be adding whore to that list as well."

Upstairs Duo slapped a hand over his eyes. 'Shit!' Beside him Heero was radiating fury and to Duo's despair he had moved a lot closer to the door than he was a minute ago, which meant neither Trowa nor himself was in any position to stop him should he decide to go downstairs.

Nicholai continued his assault on his cornered prey. "I'm willing to forgive this…indiscretion, but only if you leave with me now."

She pulled her face from his grip. She didn't understand the feelings raging through her. She was sure guilt was one of them but guilt wasn't the emotion fueling her as she responded. No, she was livid. "I don't want your forgiveness, I don't want you at all."

The words had barely left her lips before the back of his hand descended on her cheek. He was prepared for the response he was sure to get from her security. In fact he was counting on it.

From their make shift surveillance room Duo and Trowa stood, eyes glued to the screen. Trowa awoke from his stupor first, quickly realising there were now only two people in the room "Duo!" he alerted the other occupant to his findings. "Shit!" the two men sprinted down stairs going different directions, the same destination in mind.

* * *

Heero could barely contain his fury. Who he was more upset with was debatable, he never should have left them, but he _never_ should have hit her. He barged into the kitchen drawing the attention of Nicholai's security as he did. In one fluid movement he placed himself between Relena and Staten removing his gun and hitting the man with the butt causing him to stumble backwards. When Staten looked up he met Heero's gun trained dead center in his chest.

"Drop you weapon!" Staten's three guards were now in the room as well, one standing to Heero's right directly parallel to him while the other two stood in front of Staten to protect him, all three with guns drawn, one target in sight.

"Fellas there's no reason for this to get ugly," Duo made his presence known, his gun focused on the man closest to him shielding Staten. Instead of going through the foyer, he entered from the door connecting the courtyard outside. The man in question turned his gun from Heero to Duo. One of the guards felt a little to secure, "You're outnumbered, lower your weapons."

"Are they now?" Trowa was a little late to the party but he arrived entering the same way as Duo, one gun in each hand. He stood to the left behind Heero, one gun set on the man opposite Heero and the other on the guard in front of Staten, who up to this point was still aiming at Heero. "Don't expect any help from the driver outside, I thought I'd relieve him of his weapon before I joined this little standoff."

In the confusion Relena had strayed a little too close to the guard at Heero's side, who was now inching closer to her. Trowa's one visible eye narrowed, 'was this guy actually thinking about using Relena as a shield?' Heero had also caught the movement but didn't let on. The guy was about to reach his target when Heero switched his gun from his left hand to his right, shooting the guy in the thigh. The now wounded guard slumped to the ground writhing in pain. The one guard in front of Staten who was aiming at Heero twitched slightly as if contemplating making a move. Realising Heero's weapon was still aimed at the man on the floor, he figured he would catch him off guard. He wasn't fast enough. Seeing the movement, Trowa stepped forward "Don't move."

The group stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity staring at each other, weapons leveled. Sirens pierced the silence. Still no one dared to move. Nicholai cleared his throat. "I must have neglected to mention, I called the preventers on my way here that must be them." He was gloating, his plan had worked to a T. Agent Yuy would probably be relieved of duty. No, correction Agent Yuy would be relieved of duty. He would see to it.

Outside three unmarked SUV's pulled up to the house. Four agents exiting from each one. Five of the agents dispersed around the grounds creating a parameter. The others entered the residence, the leading agent first through the door.

Staten froze as soon as the agent entered, barking out a sardonic laugh in the process. "I requested Preventer agents, and what does she do?" Sneering he answered his own question. "Sends me another Gundam Pilot."

Under other circumstances Agent Chang would have taken that as a compliment, maybe even cracked a smile but he didn't have that luxury. He stared at Staten, "Lower your weapons." He threw a cursory glance at his comrades in arms, "All of you." Staten's guards looked to him for confirmation, he nodded and they obeyed. Only then did the others follow suit.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

The beach house which once exuded peace and tranquility was now rife with anger, panic and sadness. The sound of the ocean now being drowned out by boots hitting hardwood as the agents traipsed around the house darting inside and out as they made sense of what happened.

Relena sat at the kitchen island, apparently she had lost her sense of hearing in the confusion. She could see everyone and everything around her but no sound reached her ears. She winced as a cloth touched her face, only then did she realise that a medic was tending to her jaw. She could see the woman trying to converse with her but her sudden loss of her auditory senses meant she couldn't respond.

In the crowd Trowa and Duo had managed to go unnoticed standing in the corner of the room. As civilians they really had no way of explaining their role in this situation. Despite the fact that they were essentially protecting Relena, they had no authority or clearance for the weapons they were carrying. The only thing or rather the only people standing between them and jail were Heero and Wufei. Across the room a female agent spotted them, she ended her conversation with her colleague next to her and began walking towards them. She looked young but determined. Just as she was about to introduce herself and go through the mandatory declarations Wufei appeared. "I'll handle this Agent Marks, there are two women in the living area that have yet to be questioned."

Duo quickly interjected, he didn't want to subject Hilde to any more than she had already been through, "They don't know anything."

Wufei continued as though Duo hadn't spoken, "They will probably be more comfortable and more forthcoming with a female agent."

"Yes Sir!" Agent Marks moved off entering the living area to question the women. They had been prevented from coming out by the officers when they had arrived thus isolating the parties and reducing the chances of collusion.

Duo was less than thrilled, "What the hell man they don't know anything."

"I'm not interested in anything the two of you have to say. For your sakes I hope Staten doesn't press charges or you'll be spending the night in jail." With that Wufei disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared.

Duo could only shrug, "Well there goes all hope that he's going to help us."

Trowa shook his head in response, "Not necessarily"

"Did you not hear what he just said?"

"It's in our best interest for him to speak to Heero first, as the only one who could admit to everything and not be arrested. We don't have that luxury, both Heero and Wufei know this. I have no doubt that Heero will take the blame for everything here that just leaves us to corroborate his story."

Duo: "Those are nice words Trowa but that's still just speculation."

Trowa chuckled, Duo was obviously still weary of Wufei, "Maybe but the fact remains he could've just let the other agent question us. Have a little faith Duo."

"Hey shouldn't I be the one telling you that."

Finding something slightly more interesting Trowa turned his attention from the conversation. An opened door betrayed the location of Wufei and Heero who were talking in an office adjacent to the kitchen.

Duo followed his gaze, "Should we join them or aren't civilians allowed?"

"Only one way to find out."

The two weaved through the crowd of bodies in the house, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. On the way they passed the wounded bodyguard who was receiving treatment for his leg. Trowa was slightly disgusted, not by the sight of the blood, he'd seen more than enough of that in his lifetime. Instead he was disgusted by the guard himself, he barely had a flesh wound yet he was acting like he had minutes to live. If he had to witness anymore of the guy's whimpering he'd shoot him for real. He took his attention from the man on the floor and focused instead on the room where Wufei was obviously interrogating Heero. The two entered the room quietly, making no effort to interrupt. A green light flashed intermittently on the wall next to the door, it was visible only to the occupants of the room. An audio-visual jamming device. If there were any doubts as to Wufei's allegiance they were all but squashed.

Wufei: "What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Heero: "My job."

This clearly wasn't an interrogation, it was much closer to a reprimand.

Wufei: "Your job doesn't entail threatening members of congress and shooting their security. Do you know how this looks? As a preventer there are rules and regulations to be followed, if you didn't want to be bound by rules you shouldn't have joined."

Heero was unmoved by the contempt in his comrades voice. "Like I said I was doing my job."

Wufei squinted his eyes in an attempt to understand the man's defense. 'He was doing his job'. He turned the words over in his mind hoping to find some logic to explain this situation. Then it hit him. 'His job' was the vice foreign minister. Wufei turned sharply, his gaze combing through the bodies in the other room until his eyes found her. She was still sitting at the island, beside her a medic was tending to her jaw which was now slightly swollen and several shades darker. And in that moment everything made sense. Still he couldn't let them off that easily. It wasn't in his nature. "He played you." He turned back toward Heero, "You'll be reassigned for this. There's no getting around that."

Heero: "Hn, I know."

Duo stomped his foot, "What do you mean you know? You better not say you had this all planned from the start." He didn't mean to be so distrusting of his friends, really he didn't but recent events warranted his skepticism. Nose to nose with Heero he pushed for answers. "Was this all part of your plan? Well was it?!"

Heero grabbed Duo by the collar, for a brief second it seemed they were about to repeat their dance of fists. Instead Heero spun him around turning him to the same image Wufei had seen just minutes before. An image of Relena, her jaw red and swollen.

"I didn't plan this, I could never plan this. I'm not two steps ahead of you Duo I'm just adjusting quicker. I didn't plan for this but if protecting her means being reassigned, I'll adjust."

* * *

After the impromptu meeting had ended Duo was finally able to see how Hilde was doing. He found her squatting against a wall, a cushion hugged tightly between her chest and knees. He squatted in front of her, craning his neck until his eyes met hers. She was crying. He was unprepared for that. "Hey its ok, you're ok." Using nothing but brute strength he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her into a standing position, hugging her tightly.

She didn't put up a fight, rather she buried her face in his shoulder, "I'm a terrible friend."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Relena. That was my fault."

"That was no one's fault but his," He rubbed a hand along her back in an attempt to soothe her.

He didn't understand and she didn't have the guts to tell him.

* * *

It had taken longer than expected for Trowa to find Ivy. He had figured she'd be with Hilde but that wasn't the case. Remembering her fascination with the ocean he decided to give there a try. Sure enough there she was sitting on the beach, looking at nothing in particular.

"Admiring the beauty of the ocean at night?" he said as he sat next to her.

She picked at some loose cotton on her shirt. He knew she had never witnessed or experienced anything like this, he could only wonder what she was thinking. They sat in silence for a few minutes more before Ivy finally spoke, "Are you alright?"

"That's my line." He nudge her playfully as he spoke, though she didn't see the joke. "I'm fine. I'm sorry you had to see that."

She looked away from him, "I didn't see much, I was too busy being scared." She sounded disappointed. "I'm probably the worst person to have around, I'll be no help to you if you're ever in trouble."

Trowa couldn't help but laugh at her statements, she had the cutest pout on her face which didn't help the matter.

His actions only elicited a confused frown from the woman next to him, "What's so funny?"

"So you're not upset by what happened, you're upset because you were scared?"

She looked back to him then, "I shouldn't have been that scared I wasn't even in the same room as the guns, unlike Relena."

He moved closer to her. He wanted her to see just how serious his next words were, "Being scared is a natural reaction, it's a healthy reaction. Having guns pointed at you is nothing to want to get used to or nothing anyone should be forced to get used to. Unfortunately for Relena she's probably had more men point guns at her than give her flowers. I wouldn't want that for anyone especially not you."

"Why me?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

She ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. "I don't know why I'm so hung up on this, I guess I'm just in awe of you and everything that you are."

He leaned toward her his voice barely audible above the waves, "Stop stealing my lines."

* * *

Hilde finally worked up the courage to face Relena. It had taken all of her strength and a little borrowed from Duo to walk into the kitchen. She hesitated, once, twice, she had to do this. She reached out a hand touching Relena softly on the shoulder. Relena who was deep in thought jumped at her touch, which only caused her to jump as well.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you." She was barely finding her voice. What she did find was the floor, she didn't want to see Relena's jaw again. Having to see it as she walked up was enough.

"Relena I'm so sorry. I never thought anything like this would happen." She raced through the sentence at amazing speed before she lost her nerve, again.

"Hilde just shut up." For the second time Hilde jumped, this time because of the command leveled at her by her friend. She was torn between walking away and begging Relena to hear her out. Her mind not being able to decide and her body not being able to move, this must be what they called being stuck in limbo. Two hands encircled her, for a brief moment she wondered where Duo had come from, until she smelt the perfume and felt soft golden hair on her cheek. She responded immediately wrapping her hands around the other woman.

* * *

Nine of the twelve agents which had descended on the house had left, evidence and statements in hand. The other three were receiving last minute instructions from Wufei and Heero when Staten, ever present decided he was done being ignored. He had waited patiently, repeating his statement to every agent who dared approach him. But enough was enough. "It seems the preventers' orgnisation is riddled with inconsistencies. It must start from the top."

Having spent less than two hours with the senator Wufei thoroughly understood the urge to shoot him, "What can I do for you Mr. Staten?"

"You can arrest the men responsible for this. Or did their possession and use of illegal firearms escape your keen eye."

"You're cocky and arrogant, it's your Achilles heel and the reason you'll fail." Heero responded.

"On the contrary Agent Yuy, or maybe I should just call you Mr. Yuy, I think I've been successful thus far."

Wufei: "If you press charges against them you'll have to explain everything that happened here tonight. Or, we can let her explain everything that happened."

Wufei's words hit their mark, Nicolai paused, in mere seconds however he had recovered. "No reason to mourn the loss of two fish when there's a whale in your net. Good night gentlemen."

* * *

The warmth of the shower was exactly what she needed. It soothed every inch of her even the dull ache of her face. She was no stranger to long days, but this day felt forty hours long. As the shower sprinkled over her she couldn't help but replay the day's events. Out of habit she wiped her hands over her face, instantly she regretted it as the soreness reignited with increased fervor. 'This was going to be a long night.' She thought dryly. Stepping out of the shower she pulled a robe over her body, resisting the urge to gawk at her bruise in the mirror. There was no need to see it, if she ever needed proof of its existence all she had to do was touch her face. She sighed aloud, the thought only drew her attention to the realization that sleeping was probably going to be a chore. 'Fabulous.' Maybe if she drank enough she could make herself too numb to feel anything. It was worth a shot or five.

Starting towards the kitchen, she suddenly had a change of heart. If she was going to sleep tonight, going back down there was out of the question. Instead she went to the entertainment room, there was a wet bar in there along with big comfortable recliners which meant she wouldn't have to worry about how she would get back to her room if she was to get drunk. Reclining in the chair she forced her body to relax. She closed her eyes letting the sweet aroma of merlot to soothe her mind. She was sure she was dreaming when she felt a feather brush her cheek. She tried to ignore it but the cushion shifting next to her brought her brain back to life. She opened her eyes slowly, either out of drowsiness or drunkenness she couldn't tell. One thing she could tell was that it was definitely not a feather that touched her. Rather it was a feather like touch by a strong hand. "Heero," he nodded, like she needed any confirmation. She smiled groggily raising herself up off the chair slightly to make room for him beside her. He slid back on the recliner, putting a hand around her shoulders as she came to rest her head on his chest. The events of the day evaporated in the safety of his arms.

* * *

Heero wasn't at all shaken by the events which had transpired, in reality that situation was mild in comparison to what he had endured in the past. Still an emotion was present, it wasn't anger or fear, he would have recognized those. This emotion wasn't familiar but it also wasn't new. It was guilt. It wasn't an emotion he dealt with often, in fact he could probably count on one hand the occasions when it happened. Marshall Noventa comes to mind, the little girl and her dog and more recently Relena. Now here he was again with the same feeling and the same person but in a different situation. He found her curled up in the recliner. It was a small consolation that he couldn't see her face from the doorway. For a brief moment he contemplated not disturbing her for she was sure to have questions, questions he didn't want to answer. It was only a matter of time. By the way she was breathing she was likely asleep. Maybe he was being a coward but the fact she was asleep gave him the push he needed to walk into the room. As he sat beside her she stirred, a smile appearing on her face as her eyes found his. In the face of everything she was still happy to see him. It was a humbling discovery. So he stayed with her, watching her as she slept.

* * *

Morning came a lot quicker than it had since she started this trip. Stretching, she was surprised to see how much room she had. She shot up, sitting upright to take in her surroundings. She was in her bed. She placed a hand over her heart and tried to calm her breathing. The last thing she remembered from last night was falling asleep ….in his arms. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, this time fueled by love instead of panic. He must have brought her up here. 'Heero.' With a thud she plopped back onto the bed, the question of how she ended up here now answered she could move onto another troubling situation. The memor ies of yesterday came flooding in alongside the sunlight from the window and right on cue her jaw began to throb. It was all still so unbelievable, one minute they were talking and laughing, the next guns were being drawn and her cheek was swollen. What happened? Why had her day unraveled so badly? The questions came hard and fast as her mind raced to make sense of it all. How did he find them? Better yet how did he find them so quickly? They'd only been on earth a day, less than a day if she was to be precise. She flung the covers over her head, the urge to stay in bed was getting stronger and stronger and if she didn't do something soon she wasn't going to move at all, and that just wouldn't do. She was Relena Darlian she was stronger than this. Her self-made mantra had gotten her through many tough times and today would be no different.

* * *

It was time to leave the house there was no way they could enjoy it now. Sad really when you considered how beautiful it was. The four ex pilots made sure everything was in order for their departure. In many ways it was just like old times.

"Wufei what made you decide to spend the night?" Duo asked as he zipped up one on the suitcases.

"The Vice Foreign Minister needs an active agent on duty."

"Ever the dutiful soldier." If it was in Wufei's nature to be difficult, it was in Duo's nature to poke fun.

"Remember that the next time you decide to break the law, if I see you so much as jay walking I'm arresting you."

Trowa jumped in before Duo could do any more damage, "He's been relieved of duty already?"

Wufei scoffed, "Some decisions are made even in your absence."

When Wufei was out of earshot Duo looked to Trowa, "Still think he's on our side?"

The men finished up what they were doing before carrying the luggage outside. They waited for the girls to come out before packing up fully. It still hadn't been decided who was driving with whom or where they were going but they definitely didn't want to stay here. Taking the opportunity before everyone gathered Trowa continued the conversation he was having with Duo inside. "You get too emotional Duo, you miss a lot if you're not objective."

"Yeah like what?"

"Like the fact that the house is still probably being monitored." He looked squarely at Duo, "so to answer your question yes I do believe he's still on our side."

* * *

Downstairs everyone was already gathered in the courtyard, her friends had apparently decided to let her sleep. Luggage dotted around and between four parked vehicles. 'Four?' her breaths became shallow as she tried to identify the owner of the new vehicle. For one horrible second she thought Nicolai had returned. As she walked to the foyer a warm rush of wind blew through her hair, the double doors to the outside were spread eagle for convenience. Her shoulders relaxed as her mind identified the faces. A small breath escaped her, followed by a sharp inhale, her body compensating for the breaths she had stopped taking. It was Wufei, he had stayed. Shaking her head, she folded her lips tightly. It was the only thing she could think of doing to stifle the maniacal laugh which bubbled in her throat. All this stress was going to send her off the deep end. She paused at the doorway, looking around the group she felt safe and secure. Everything was going to be alright. Still, in the back of her mind a burning question nagged at her, 'How did he find us?' It was enough to stop her dead in her tracks.

All eyes turned toward Relena. They were about to get in their vehicles and leave when she suddenly stopped moving. The minute Heero laid eyes on her he knew he was out of time. She was eerily still and quiet no doubt trying to make sense of nonsense. He stepped toward her instinctively, "Relena."

"How did he know where to find us?" It was the question she kept asking herself. Maybe Heero had the answers, she looked directly at him, her gaze unrelenting. He could respond by telling her the truth or he could tell her nothing but he wasn't going to lie, "Relena we have to go."

That wasn't the response she was expecting, his avoidance merely fueled her. "What aren't you saying?"

He didn't respond.

"We've been travelling around the earth sphere for days. No one knew where to find us not even Lady Une. Yet the minute we land on earth not only does he discover our location he arrives here in less than one day?" This time she didn't stifle the laugh, "I can't imagine you called him." Still he said nothing. She eyed her friends one by one, Hilde and Ivy looked just as confused as she did but they were the only ones. Wufei sat on the hood of his SUV, his arms were folded on his chest, his head bowed but his eyes were still focused on her unlike the other two who for some reason couldn't look at her. It was telling.

"Did you call him?" she whispered.

"No."

She marched down the path toward him, "I've seen firsthand the lengths you guys go to when you don't want to be found. The only reason I can think of why he found us is that you wanted him to….." she snapped her mouth shut, cutting the word short as realization dawned on her. "You wanted him to find us?" She always knew Heero as the silent type but in this situation his silence was both infuriating and painful. She had to know, she had to hear it for herself. "What did you do?"

He stared back at her, his calm demeanor hiding the true extent of his feelings. "I didn't do anything."

She narrowed her eyes at him partly out of suspicion, and partly out of her need not to cry. It's not every day she accused him of anything other than being over protective. It made her stomach knot to hear the words coming from her own lips. But in this minute she knew her instincts were right. She raked her hair back from her face, holding it so tightly her eyes burned. "The next time you look at my face, remember you didn't do anything."

* * *

An hour later Heero was still sitting inside his car one hand on the steering wheel another on the gearstick, his eyes dead ahead. On the surface he was the picture of tranquility, inside though he was trying to weather the storm, unfortunately the solitude and silence of the car wasn't helping. He turned the key in the ignition, the vehicle revved to life. It wasn't enough. He slammed his foot on the gas, the jeep still stationary. The sound of the engine climbing octaves was the closest he could get to the sound of a mobile suit in flight. He wanted to replicate it as much as possible for in there he always knew what to do. Unfortunately this time, it didn't seem to be working. Moving his foot from the gas he gave the machine a break. He had two options, go talk to Howard or talk to Relena. What he chose to do in this moment would have an effect on her no matter which road he took. The wind whirled outside as if in response to his turmoil. It wasn't a strong gust yet it was so quiet out he could hear it whistle. He recommenced his abuse of the engine. He needed the noise to drown out her last words which kept playing in his head. It only worked half way. The noise of the engine wasn't enough to erase the look on her face. It had taken him years to get over the image of that little dog in the rubble. It was probably going to take a lifetime to dislodge this one. Though finding the dog had been hard knowing full well its owner was probably a victim as well he didn't have to suffer the image of them in pain. Which is exactly what he had to witness a short while ago, her pain. That was enough, with a shrug of his shoulders he put the car in drive. He had to find out what Howard knew. Not long after, a loud screech echoed in the quiet neighborhood. He hadn't driven far before slamming on the breaks. The decision to go to Howard was the kind of decision he would have made years ago. Back then he had a narrow minded focus on the mission, no ties to life or people. He wasn't like that anymore, or atleast he shouldn't be, but considering his actions now as they were, he was. With one exception, now he needed her. But the need to keep her safe was winning the battle. Not for the world but for himself and if last night's fiasco was any indication Staten was dead set on his objectives. He had to be just as focused. He breathed deep, a new calm washing over him. He'd finally made peace with his choice. He could handle her being angry as long as she was alive. He couldn't live with himself if she died. He put the car in drive for the last time. He would find out what Howard knew.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

And it all starts to unravel, so just to note the first five chapters I edited into one doc since they were so short. The story continues from here.

* * *

Relena was still reeling. She couldn't understand how her perfect trip had turned into such a disaster. Standing at her bathroom mirror, she was willing the woman staring back at her to provide some answers to her questions. As soon as she had arrived back at her home she had set to work on bringing stability back to her life, as creatures of habit she hoped that reverting to her regular wardrobe and washing the colour from her hair would provide the familiarity needed to provide some level of comfort. But standing in the mirror in her standard black skirt suit, she was blonde haired, blue eyed and still just as confused. She sulked, releasing a small whimper as she hung her head. It was unbelievable, of all the emotions welling up inside her regret was the forerunner. She always believed in him, always trusted him even in the most dire of situations. The fact that trust and belief had wavered made her feel like a traitor who just betrayed someone who only ever had her best interest at heart. He didn't deserve that.

Her fist slammed against the counter, 'Dammit, I don't deserve it either.' she thought. Her reflection as she looked back into the mirror contorted with anger. Why was she feeling guilty, she had a right to be upset. Her features softened as her burst of anger dissipated, regret yet again filling its space. He didn't deserve it, her mind repeated. She couldn't help herself from placing his feelings above her own. Isn't that what love was all about?

She was rescued from her internal struggle by a knock on the door.

"Ms. Relena, it's time to go." Wufei's voice called from the other side. So much for familiarity. She had never worked with Agent Chang, his presence alone was another reminder of how wrong things had gone. She stood tall, adjusted her blazer and breathed. She opened the door and whispered a let's go pausing for a moment to allow him to lead the way.

* * *

In less than thirty five minutes Relena and Wufei were standing in Lady Une's office. It was amazing, she never realised how close this particular preventer division was to her home. The route Wufei took was foreign to her as well, it was much shorter than the one Heero used. Her amusement at the comparison was short lived. Her shoulders heaved, collapsing under the weight of painful realization. She loved to drive, it was relaxing being in the passenger seat watching the world whizz by. It allowed her to prepare mentally for the day ahead and unwind after it ended. So of course he would find a longer route. She rubbed her temple, she was going to hate herself by the end of the day she could feel it. She could only hope and pray Une would arrive soon.

Une was apparently still in a meeting when they had arrived but had given instructions for them to wait inside her office. Getting tired of standing she moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of Une's desk. She crossed her legs, propped her head in one hand while the other beat out a rhythm on the thick leather arm beneath. Two minutes later, she interchanged the position of her crossed legs, halting her finger drumming. She was about to stand up again when a picture on Une's desk caught her attention. She reached out and turned the image toward her. It was a photo of Treize in all his grandeur. He was standing on a balcony with a small bird perched on his finger, obviously a candid shot.

* * *

"Colonel."

"Mr. Staten I'm already late for another meeting I don't have time to-

He cut her off, "Please only two minutes, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."

For some reason she didn't believe him. His use of her former title didn't escape her either she was just tired of refuting it. He loved being a nuisance, He'd stop her just to ask why the sky was blue. She stopped abruptly and turned to face him "Two minutes."

"Thank you, please we can walk and talk I don't want you to be late for your other engagement."

She almost gaped in surprise. That almost sounded sincere. So caught off guard by his less abrasive approach she started to turn to continue walking toward her office, then she remembered with whom she was meeting. "As tempting as that is I'd rather we speak here where we still have privacy." She hoped it was convincing.

"How's the investigation coming?" He delved right into it. This time she didn't hide her surprise. He should know better than to ask about an investigation.

Reading her expression he added, "Mr. Fenty was a good man I think his wife and children deserve closure. Right now they're beside themselves at the thought he was murdered."

"Why would they think that?"

He frowned idly stroking his red tie in front of him. "Why would the preventers be investigating a heart attack for this long?"

She stared at him incredulously. She didn't want to give in but she wanted to get rid of him. If she didn't answer him in a way he deemed satisfactory he might just follow her back to her office. She sighed inwardly, sometimes you had to lose the battle to win the war. "Put their minds at ease. He did indeed die of natural causes."

"I'll be glad to let them know." He turned to leave in the other direction then stopped. He gave her a sideways glance. "How did you like the gift I sent you?"

"Gift?" She raised a brow.

"A photo of Treize, I thought you'd like to have it. It should be waiting for you in your office." His last words were muffled as he turned and walked away.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Une was speaking before she was fully in the room. It gave Relena the seconds she needed to return the photo to its original position.

She stood. "That's no problem." The two women shook hands briefly. As Une moved toward her seat, she waved a hand at Relena's indicating she take hers as well.

"There's no need for us to engage in any trivial preamble am I right?" Une asked.

Relena loved the woman's straightforward approach. It was certainly a welcomed change from the idle pleasantries she had to dole out during her day. "Not at all." Besides she could guess what this meeting was about and she didn't want to drag it out any more than necessary. She sat back and waited for Une to continue. The older woman paused a second longer than what she was used to, probably trying to figure out the most tactful way of broaching the subject. Despite being straightforward she was never inconsiderate. In most situations Relena would have been grateful, but she needed this over with.

"This is about Agent Yuy?" She didn't need to be so formal surely Une knew about her relationship with Heero by now. Truthfully it was easier on her heart to refer to him as such.

Une nodded, "In light of recent events he has been temporarily relieved. Agent Chang will be your guard in his stead." She looked over to the young man standing by the door as she spoke.

Relena followed her movement with her eyes, she had almost forgotten he was in the room, "I understand."

"Miss Relena, I feel I must apologise for everything that transpired. It never should have gone that far."

Relena knew exactly to what she was referring, "I appreciate that but it's not necessary."

"Is there anything I can do, any questions you have?"

Relena thought hard about everything that happened, prior to this moment she had had a million questions now she was blank. This was not the person she wanted to interrogate. She finally settled on a question, one that had nagged her that very night. "Will he be arrested?"

"Do you want to press charges?"

The question was an obvious one, yet it still surprised her. 'Do I want to press charges?' Usually this would be about the time she would seek counsel from behind her. The thought stung her, 'when did I become incapable of making my own decisions?' Her fingers dug into the soft leather of the arm rest. She wasn't incapable of making decisions she was far too headstrong for that but it was obvious that there were things going on here she didn't understand. Back at the house no one had asked her about her face, how it happened or what she wanted to do. A house full of investigators and no one had asked. Here and now she could only assume it was intentional. Hence her hesitation, not because she couldn't make her own decisions but because she didn't want to make a decision that would be contrary to what Heero wanted. She pressed her heels into the floor as if her hold on the chair wasn't enough to keep her upright. She shook her head slightly, looking directly into Une's eyes, she was tired of being a witness to her own life. "Should I press charges?"

Une was unsure if she was actually asking a question or just repeating her earlier one, "Miss Relena?"

"Earlier you said you wanted to apologise for everything that happened, I can only assume that means you were fully aware and they had your approval which means I'm probably the only one here totally in the dark. So I'm asking you should I press charges and if I did would it affect your investigation?"

Une leaned back in her chair grinning wildly. She glanced behind Relena's shoulder at Wufei, who had gone from staring out the window to staring at the back of the other woman's head. Clearly he was as surprised as she was. 'Well played Ms. Relena.' She thought and she was almost certain Wufei was thinking the same. "We would prefer if he wasn't incarcerated or arrested."

Relena released a breath she didn't know she was holding, Une's response wasn't much but it was a start. She wanted to know more but was unsure if she should press the issue. She rolled her eyes at herself, she really had become docile. A few years ago she wouldn't have hesitated to ask the toughest questions of the most powerful people. "Why?"

"Ms. Relena-

"Lady." Relena's voice held steely determination. Whether or not the other woman answered was moot. This was a line being drawn in the sand a line which represented her right to be in charge of herself.

"It's a delicate situation. One we have yet to fully figure out." Une chose her words carefully. Much like her conversation with Staten she didn't want to give too much away but an unsatisfactory response might push Relena to do something more drastic. She wondered at that moment just how Relena and Wufei would make it together. The fact is Heero and Relena complemented each other remarkably. They mellowed out each other. Relena who was prone to rash decisions, led by her strong will and determination was countered by Heero's more logical reasoning which seemed to keep the woman out of trouble. As far as Heero went anyone with two eyes could see how her presence calmed him, much less abrasive. They also compromised for each other, she had witnessed Relena forfeit appearances because Heero had convinced her it was both unsafe and unnecessary, while as his superior she had looked the other way on the numerous occasions he bent or flat out broken rules for something she wanted, needed or in his opinion deserved. Something told her the synergy would not be the same between the two now present in her office.

Relena had anticipated just that type of response. Of course Une wasn't going to tell her all that was going on. She had already decided to get the answers she needed another way, like from the horse itself. She nodded, "I understand."

"Is there anything else?" She asked the question before she realised what she was doing. I really should think twice about asking the Vice Minister these kinds of opened ended questions Une thought to herself.

"No not at the moment. If I think of anything I won't hesitate to call."

Une could only smile at that. "I'm sure you won't".

* * *

It was only after Relena and Wufei exited her office that she allowed herself to look at the picture on her desk. She caressed the frame before picking it up completely. This photo captured the essence of all he was, gentle yet powerful. And she missed him. The warmth that filled her by the image of Treize was being countered by the thought of who left her the 'gift'. The idea that every time she looked at this picture she would be forced to remember Staten made her skin crawl.

* * *

After leaving his short but necessary visit with Commander Une, Nicolai went directly to his second meeting. Pulling into towering wrought iron gates he drove around a small water feature in the drive way which created a U turn in and out of the mansion. He stopped at the main entrance. The outside of the home spoke of old money. It was a large three story red bricked mansion with immaculately trimmed hedges on expansive grounds. The inside of the home was just as impressive; a large three tier crystal chandelier greeted its guests on entry with a mahogany spiraled staircase meandering just behind. It would have been a beautiful residence, if anyone lived there. The entire house was empty, always was and probably always would be. It was nothing more than a front camouflaged in an extremely exclusive community where house lots were like small islands and neighbors couldn't care less to socialize. It was the ideal location. Attached to the house was a state of the art laboratory, two levels underground.

He walked slowly, the only sound was that of his heels hitting tile. It was a walk he did not take often as he tried as much as possible to avoid meeting these men in person, but due to the nature of their relationship it was occasionally unavoidable. Retina scans allowed him entry to the basement and with a puff the doors slid open. There were approximately eight scientist working in the room. None of whom looked up at his arrival. He continued to his destination, taking great care not to touch anything or anyone. He could see them standing at the back of the room talking. Harbingers of death. He cleared his throat as he approached not wanting to overhear too much of anything they said for his own well-being. "Gentlemen."

Both men turned toward him, Professor G twirled his beard, "Well well we've finally been graced with his excellency's presence."

"Now now I'm sure our dear Senator was probably busy."

Nicolai scoffed, "As a matter of fact I was, I've taken care of your Agent Yuy." His face and voice expressing all the pride of a cat with a newly caught mouse.

"Did you kill him?" someone asked.

Quite frankly he didn't care which one of them spoke. They were both the same in his book but from the tone of voice he guessed it was J. The man always seemed a bit more proud of his creation than the other. He spoke through clenched teeth, "No."

"Then you took care of nothing, what's more that little stunt you pulled all but secured your position at the top of the most wanted list." It was definitely Doctor J this time.

Professor G chuckled, "And here I thought that spot was reserved for us."

These guys had a twisted sense of humor, if it could even be considered humor. Nicolai straightened his tie for what must have been the third time since being in the room. "How is everything coming here?"

"Everything's fine, right on schedule we're not all as incompetent as you." Nicolai was speechless. Professor G always held a tone of amusement, always sounded like he was teasing, although he couldn't decide if to laugh. Doctor J pulled a beaker off a shelf swirling the liquid in his hand as he spoke.

"We should be ready to start the first phase in a week. Can you keep the preventers off us for that long?"

"I told you I have things under control. Heero Yuy is out of the picture and-

"And you're still a free man." Dr. J interrupted him. "Have you thought about why you're not in jail? Do you think that they're afraid of you? That Heero is afraid of you? They're using you like a trail of breadcrumbs; they have been from the very start. You.." He used his metal prongs to tug on the collar of Nicolai's shirt, "Have solved nothing. All you did was let a dog off its leash."

Nicolai swallowed hard, so hard he was sure it was heard by everyone in the room.

"What about our man on the inside, is he ready to perform his role?" G asked.

Finally a topic he could relish, this particular task was definitely a success. "Yes, he is, he'll be available whenever we need him."

If he was waiting for a congratulations or affirmation of a job well done he'd be waiting in vain. The two scientist had all but left him standing alone before Doctor J turned back to him. "Please try not to underestimate them in the future I'd hate for you to become as expendable as Doctor Fenty."

* * *

The drive to Howard's was enough to help him clear his head. He had taken a scenic route, allowing himself time to take in the sights of the Mediterranean. It was something she would have wanted to do and he found himself prone to the habit. Pulling into the gravel driveway he noticed a familiar green bike parked by the guard wall and a white minivan under the carport.

Heero parked his SUV close to the entrance. As he walked up to the door Trowa fell into stride next to him, "Took you long enough." The other pilot was draped across the door to the home, his back edged into the door jamb while his leg was extended and nestled into the jamb on the other side. Trowa and Heero had no choice but to stop and address him.

"Hey, what's the secret password?" Duo didn't give them the opportunity to speak. The two just stared blankly at him. Duo groaned aloud, these guys were no fun. "C'mon, give me the password and I'll move."

Heero and Trowa exchanged glances, then turned their glare back to the door.

Duo eyes gleamed in wicked amusement, "You know in that movie, the one with the big fiery eye, when they wanted to enter the cave they had to speak a secret word or did they have to solve a riddle?" He scratched the tip of his nose as he tried to replay the scene in his mind. He gave up. "Anyway yeah so what's the secret password?" He sighed, he should just give up but he enjoyed messing with them. "I'll give you a hint, Trowa and I are your…?"

"Move Duo we don't have time for this." Heero took a step closer, the drive might have helped but he was still not calm enough to handle Duo's shenanigans.

Duo interpreted his advancement as a threat or at least he wanted it to be. For some reason the idea of striking Heero was far too appealing. Duo pushed off the door, pushing a fist into his palm as he walked. "Come at me bro, god knows I owe you one or fifty."

Trowa watched the two with slight trepidation and anticipation. The last time he was present for something like this Duo had lost and it wasn't pretty. Still he refused to interrupt; boys will be boys and all that.

Heero was unmoved, "Take your best shot."

Duo's eyes went wide for a millisecond at the invitation. Not like he needed one. "Fine I'll give you my best shot."

Trowa let out a snicker, "Now where have I heard that before?" Duo made a mental note to pummel Trowa next but right now he was focused on 01.

Heero had no intention of getting into yet another physical altercation with Duo but seeing as how Duo seemed to be dead set on round two, why the hell not. His reasons were far more selfish than just a joust between friends however, he was hurting, and this pain was not sitting well with him. He could handle physical pain a lot better than this kind. It would be an easy way to mask what was really bothering him.

"Hey you guys." A sandy voice came from above. The three looked up to see Howard leaning out a window. "I don't have all day here ya know."

"Guess that means play time's over." Trowa said as he held the door ajar.

* * *

Howard came downstairs to join the group of men in the living area. Walking in he couldn't help the nostalgia that gripped him. He felt like a proud uncle. His boys had grown. He had always held a great admiration for the five of them and a slight affection. They were just children when they met after all. Heero and Trowa were standing, as usual, he didn't understand what furniture ever did to those guys.

Duo however had made himself at home on the sofa. "Long time no see."

"Yea, back at ya, so did you guys just want to see how well I've been aging or what?"

Trowa walked around the room and taking in his surroundings before perching on the edge of a chair arm. "Not quite Howard, we need information."

"Don't you guys ever get together for a drink? In case you were even wondering I left some pressing matters unattended just to come see you, you could've at least brought a bottle of something for my troubles."

Duo raised his brows, "Oh yea what was so pressing you struggled to leave it?"

Howard adjusted his spectacles as he spoke, "Tina's lips on mine if you must know."

Duo made an exaggerated shudder, hid his face in his hands, that mental image was not going to leave him anytime soon. His obvious discomfort was thoroughly amusing for Howard, "So what kind of information do you guys need this time?"

Heero dropped two manila folders on the coffee table in the center of the room, one labeled Genres, the other I.B Med. Howard took that as his cue, he leaned over and opened both folders, scanning them quickly. Two medical facilities, nothing in the files raised an alarm, yet he knew these three well enough to know they wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. He was about to drop the folders when his hands froze at two photos attached to the second last page, Doctor J and Professor G. His brain went into over drive, it wasn't unusual for scientists to be involved in research but these weren't just any scientists.

By the look on his face Heero could see the wheels turning in Howard's head. He decided to help the process along. "Genres and I.B Med are fronts, they used to be run by OZ. Now it seems they're being run by those two."

This wasn't want he wanted to hear and ad much as he would love to block it out he had to ask, "What kind of research?"

Heero responded, "Genetics, supposedly they're studying the health of the colony citizens but I'm sure there's more to it than that."

"And that's why you came to see me?"

"That and the connection of one Nicolai Staten born Van Domein."

Trowa: "You were there at the beginning you must have information that most of us aren't even aware of."

Little beads of sweat started to form on Howard's brow, "Van Domein?" He was visibly starting to pale as the conversation progressed. The way he was wilting was seriously starting to worry the rest of them.

"You know the family?" Duo asked.

This wasn't happening, not again. He really wished they had brought a bottle of something. They were going to need it, he was going to need it. If the doctors were dabbling in genetic research that could only mean they've reignited their interest in Operation M, the part of the operation none of them knew about. Back then he had severed all ties with his fellow scientists and engineers as soon as he had uncovered just how deranged they were and even then he didn't understand the full extent of it. He had put all his efforts into thwarting any plan they concocted but it seems he missed one. Truthfully he had hoped after the war and Mariemaia incident they had finally given up. How foolish was that sentiment now. He looked around at the expectant faces of the young men who were studying him intently. "I know of them but I had no dealings with them directly. They were the main benefactors of Operation M."

That dreaded code name, Operation Meteor seemed hell bent on following them for the rest of their lives.

"But that's over isn't it? Operation Meteor failed with the disbandment of Mariemaia."

Howard wiped his forehead, "I wanted to believe that but if my suspicions are correct about these labs, this is definitely Operation Meteor." Despite their best efforts to remain composed Howard could see the disbelief and confusion on the men's faces. He placed the folders back on the table and took a steadying breath. This was going to be a long story, he transported them to the past before Mariemaia and even before the Gundams. Back then the colonies were indeed being oppressed by the Earth but all wasn't as it seemed. The Van Domein family and a few other select elites wanted to destroy the earth and its inhabitants, they wanted total autonomy and control of the space colonies for themselves. It was more greed and power than it was anything else. However the people of the colonies would never agree to such a drastic and extreme proposal. Not without just cause. So a cause was created in the form of the United Earth Sphere Alliance. The members of the Van Domein Family, along with members of the Khushrenada lineage infiltrated the UESA and began pushing for more military action especially against the colonies thus breeding resentment and frustration. It was only a matter of time before the colonies were desperate for a reprieve from the Earth's rule. But even with the increased military actions and suppression, public opinion just wasn't swayed enough to justify the destruction of the earth. The colony citizens needed more, they needed a reason to revolt, and they needed an event to unify the colonies while making the earth a mutual enemy of all.

"Heero Yuy." His namesake spoke, his nonchalant expression not dampening the gravity of his words.

Howard nodded his confirmation, "I don't have any concrete proof but it was long rumored his death was actually orchestrated by the scientist and their benefactors. Whether or not it was true it definitely worked."

Duo was struggling to control his rising anger, he slammed his fist into the soft cushion of the sofa, "That doesn't make any sense, why create the Gundams to interfere with their own plans. They instructed us to stop Operation Meteor, to defeat OZ."

"That wasn't the original plan merely a byproduct of overzealous men and an organization that couldn't control its own growth."

Duo narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth it was his last attempt to stop himself from yelling, "What are you saying?"

Howard stood, the uncomfortable situation clearly telling on all present, "The gundams were indeed created to stop OZ, Oz was the strong arm of the alliance, but as the organization grew it moved further and further away from the original intentions of the few. OZ needed to be stopped but in a way that still kept their motives concealed. After all they couldn't actually come out and admit they created the entire mess."

Duo jumped to his feet and pointed a stern finger in Howard's face as he spoke, "No Howard you're wrong, my orders were to stop Operation Meteor as was everyone else."

"Not everyone." Heero thought back to the time he met the doctor and the missions he was given. The old man never gave him a specific task rather options. Back then, he wasn't told to stop operation Meteor, but he had chosen to stop OZ. Now he could only think about what would have happened had he chosen differently. Was the doctor just testing him? What if he had chosen to go ahead with the original Operation M? "Dr. J gave me the option of participating in the original mission to conquer earth."

Duo dropped his hands, he mouth fell open, "What?"

"The truth is Operation meteor was nothing but a farce from the start, once they got rid of OZ they probably would've returned to their original objectives. I'm guessing they didn't count on how dedicated OZ soldiers would become, especially to Treize. He was never interested in fulfilling the original plan. Not to mention most of their funding then went to creating mobile dolls and weapons." Howard could only shake his head as the words left his mouth.

Duo was not convinced either he truly didn't believe what he was hearing or he was making sure to get every last bit of detail out of Howard by playing devil's advocate. "I'm not buying it. I was there, they helped us destroy Libra when Quinze and Zechs were trying to blow up the earth. Don't you remember that?"

Howard was unwavering, "I do remember Duo and I was grateful for their help as well, but you of all people should know their help is usually self-serving and not sincere."

"They helped us save the world Howard, you have to be misinformed. Why would they help us?"

Howard was doing his best to inform them, while also trying to protect them from the cold hard truth, but he could see it wasn't working. "The colonies, despite how well managed they were still relied on the earth for many things and still do to this day. In order to create the artificial replica of the earth's environment they need to survive, like weather and food. As much as the colonies would like to be independent there are a lot of things that just can't be manufactured in outer space. The scientists knew this, they understood it better than anyone, which is why they revamped Operation Meteor. It was never about saving the world Duo, it was about saving the planet."

Howard could hardly bear to look at them as he spoke, he turned to look out the window. The atmosphere in the room was stifling. He couldn't imagine how they were coping with this information. Even the usually unreadable Heero was struggling to keep his feelings hidden. He had essentially just told them their entire lives were nothing but lies created to fulfil other people's agenda. It took several minutes before the silence was broken, each time it descended it took longer to leave. Heero seemed to recover first.

"What was the revamped version?"

"A way to destroy the civilization on earth without harming the planet or threatening its resources. A virus."

Duo's head snapped up, he didn't know how much more of this he could take and now Howard had just twisted the knife already in his back. He wanted to know but he couldn't find the strength to form the words but Howard's behaviour was telegraphing his answer loud and clear, even before he spoke.

"They tested a strain of the virus once before, to see just how quickly it would spread. They used people who they assumed no one would…"

Duo exploded, he had heard a lot of terrible things in his life but never could he have imagined he would be hearing this, "Shut up! Just shut up. How do you know all this stuff? How have you sat on information like this for all these years?"

Howard stared out the window until the scenery started to blur. In the background he could hear Duo's voice as he continued his tirade. He was upset and he had every right to be, and he was lashing out at anyone he could blame. At the moment that person was him. He had no words to soothe Duo, or any of them for that matter. Although he didn't believe that any explanation would be good enough. He had found out the bulk of this information after the fact and after the previous attempts had failed he had chosen to bury it all as just part of the past.

Duo plopped back down in his chair the sudden quiet brought Howard out of his thoughts Duo had obviously ran out of steam. Howard turned to face them again. As soon as he did he regretted it. The feeling of dejection permeated the room like a thick fog. His heart bled for them.

"The earth and colonies needed the Gundams, you guys saved millions of lives, don't forget that." It wasn't much of a pep talk but it was the best he could do on such short notice. However, it fell on deaf ears.

Heero tried to appear unaffected the best way he knew how, by staying with the mission, "How do they intend to spread the virus?"

"I don't know, I never found out, but if I was to take a guess the answers are in those labs. I'm an engineer not a doctor this is outside of my field of expertise."

Duo pushed of the sofa, he looked around at everyone in the room, then stomped toward the door. To say he was upset would be an understatement. Trowa turned to follow, pausing he looked over his shoulder at Howard, "Thanks for your help." It was the only the second time the man had spoken all evening. Heero lingered only momentarily, he gave Howard a curt nod before he too turned and left.

Howard sighed as he watched them go, it was an unavoidable conversation. But watching their faces throughout the conversation he couldn't help but regret not sharing this information sooner.

* * *

As the three walked out of the house Duo tried in vain to get Heero's attention. The zero pilot seemed in a trance, oblivious to all around him.

Trowa grabbed Duo's shoulder before he could pursue Heero further, "Let him go Duo."

"Hey we're all in the same boat here, we're all feeling the same thing."

Trowa understood but he also knew Heero well enough to know he was just going to talk about how he was feeling. "He's not built like the rest of us."

"You think I don't know that, I saw that guy blow up his Gundam while still inside and relocate bones," Duo pointed a finger at his chest for emphasis, "I know he's not built like the rest of us."

Trowa smiled slightly as he continued to walk in the direction of his bike, "I mean he processes things differently."

"And where are you going?" Duo called after him.

Trowa didn't stop, "To see a guy about a horse."

"Fine keep your secrets, just don't be calling me when you get into trouble."

Trowa jumped on his bike, "You're number two on my speed dial."

* * *

Heero went straight to his SUV, he didn't stop to talk to either Duo or Trowa, not even as he heard Duo call out to him. He didn't have time to compare notes. Howard was right they needed someone with the expertise in the medical field if they were going to understand what they were dealing with. He dialed a number on his car phone as he reversed, the sound of pebbles popping under his tires competing with the ring of the phone. It didn't take long before the person on the other line picked up.

"Sally Po."

"Sally I need your help."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Exercise, they say it's good for all kinds of things including relieving stress whether or not it was actually true Relena decided to give it a try. Pilates was her exercise of choice, it was challenging without being grueling especially since she wasn't necessarily the overly fit type. So in her home gym she got to exercise while maintaining her dignity in the face of her lack of upper body strength, something that was all too often highlighted by Heero when he intruded on her private sessions. She moved to execute the front support position and it automatically flooded her with memories. She had been in this very same room, same music and instructor. It had been her third lesson and she was trying to hold this position for as long as possible. She probably made it to five seconds before her arms started to shake.

 _"_ _You lack upper body strength." She didn't have to look up to see him, she could tell by the position of his shoes he was standing right next to her._

 _"_ _You're right, just think how many more speeches I could write or briefcases I could carry if my arms were stronger." She had replied._

 _He stooped next to her then, she could now see his knees, his elbows draped over his legs. "When you stop being scared I can train you myself." His tone even though she knew he was serious dripped with mockery, she couldn't ignore it. She let her knees hit the floor using the position to crawl over to him, itches from his face._

 _"_ _When have I ever been afraid of you?" His reply had been a quaint Heero half smirk._

"And down." Her trainer's command signaled she was free to move. "Good job Relena, you're able to hold that much longer."

"Thanks."

After training she had soaked for what felt an eternity in the tub, it was the perfect end to a training session but as she sat in her room wrapped in a robe she realised that her training didn't do what it was supposed to do. Her body felt great there was no mistaking that but she didn't feel the relief she had wanted. She sighed, so much for that theory. She looked up at the clock, she had to be in the office in an hour but that didn't stop her from affording herself a couple minutes of self-pity all she needed now was a tub of ice cream. The phone chose that moment to ring, her self-pity would have to wait. Only after she pressed the receive call button did she realise she was still in her robe, luckily the face that greeted her was friendly.

"Relena!" Hilde beamed at her.

"Hilde, I'm glad you called. How are you?"

"I'm great I have a surprise for you." Relena watched Hilde inch more to the left.

"Surprise!" Ivy popped into view, using the room Hilde had created.

"Are you guys back on the colony?" Relena asked.

"Yeah we were ushered off of earth in quite a hurry. I'm staying with Ivy and Cathy until I hear from Duo." Hilde clued her in.

Relena was surprised by that last part, "So they remained on earth?"

Hilde's face became solemn, "Yeah, for what I don't know, Duo said they had to talk to someone but it would be better if we left."

Heero was still on earth, she suddenly had butterflies.

Hilde watched as Relena's expression changed, she figured it was a good time to ask, "Relena how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Yea now tell me the truth."

She looked into the faces of the two women, concern shone in their eyes. The looks they were giving her threatened to unmake the wall she had erected. Under their stares she felt like releasing all she had bottled up, she felt like crying. She wanted to verbalize how she was feeling, but the right words wouldn't form so she settled on the next best thing, "I wish you were here."

She looked away from the screen and fought to compose herself. They weren't here, he wasn't here, and it made no sense getting all worked up like that especially when her closest human companion was now Wufei.

* * *

Her morning chat with Hilde left Relena with a mix of emotions, on the one hand she had felt better, they had even managed to get her to laugh but on the other she missed them and missing them reminded her of her time with them which ultimately led to her remembering the last day they were together. It seemed like everything she did reminded her of the one thing she was trying to forget so maybe it was time to stop trying to forget it and deal with it.

She paced in front of her desk trying to decide her next course of action. The two meetings she had scheduled for the morning had both gone off without a hitch and ended well before anyone had expected now she had atleast a two hour block of free time. Of course in her position there was no such thing as free time. Usually in this situation she'd read a proposal or go over a speech. Not today. Today she wanted to speak one on one with Nicolai, but with Wufei standing outside her door she didn't see how that was going to be possible. She stopped her pacing and stared at the door as if she had x-ray vision to the other side. Maybe a direct approach might work in her favour.

'Hey Wufei, let's take a walk over to Staten's office.'

'Sure anything you want Ms. Relena.' She ran a hand through her hair and began pacing, 'Like that's ever going to happen.'

How was she going to talk to him? She racked her brain some more while the floor beneath her feet was actually attempting to change colour. She stopped, her body did a little bounce in place from sheer excitement. She had found her answer. She grabbed her coat and left the room. No more than two steps out of her office and Wufei was behind her, to her surprise he didn't ask where she was going. He simply followed. She walked toward the in house restaurant. It could rival any large chain in its elegance and décor. Bronze stucco walls, wall to wall red carpeting and dimmed low hanging orbs of candles created quite the ambience. She slowed her pace as she walked down the corridor to the entrance.

"Relena."

Right on time. He always made it a point to eat at the restaurant, she had joined him on a few occasions, the only times she had ever stepped foot in the place, otherwise she ate in her office. Much better company.

She turned in the direction of his voice, Nicolai was fast approaching. She would be the first to admit she didn't put much thought into this little plan of hers, but she was thoroughly unprepared for the way her body reacted to his presence. She had to make a conscious effort not to twitch under his glare. She would not give him the satisfaction.

"Nicolai, how are you?"

"But it is I that should be enquiring that of you? You've been through quite the ordeal." The bastard was gloating.

So much for pleasantries she thought, "You've got some nerve."

He ignored her admonishment, "How about we continue this over lunch?"

"How about you drop the act and tell me what you want."

"I only ever wanted to make you happy Relena. It was you who was acting, and quite well I may add."

Not this again, she was struggling to maintain her composure. She folded her arms over her chest. "What do you want from me?" Not the power play she had envisioned before she came but she had no patience left for him.

He stepped toward her, his hand caressed the air next to her cheek, a wry smile on his face. She flinched instinctively maybe she wasn't as ready for this confrontation as she had thought. She held her breath and waited for him to speak, all the while hoping his hand didn't touch her. The click of the safety of a gun being removed spoke first.

"You're too close."

Nicolai's eyes went wide, but he quickly recovered, never one to give his opponent the upper hand. He laughed and took a step back, his eyes darted from Wufei's gun back to her. "You're Gundam pilots don't trust me. Guess I deserve that." He paused flicking his gaze over her body in a slow deliberate movement. "When I want something from you Relena, you'll know it. Enjoy your lunch."

She watched him enter the restaurant, watched as he engaged in light conversation with people as he passed, until he was out of sight. She had figured once he was gone she'd be fine but still her body refused to move. She was disgusted with the whole thing. Either she had been ridiculously blind or he was a terrific actor. She was still staring in the direction he had disappeared when her frozen body received help moving. A hand grabbed her by the elbow and spun her around. Seconds passed before she realised she was walking or rather being led out.

"What the hell was that?" Wufei hissed. His voice was low as he avoided making a scene.

She was still dazed, she honestly thought he was just as confused as she was about Staten's remarks so she replied, "I don't know."

"Don't give me that, you did that on purpose."

That's when she realised he was talking about her unplanned meeting with the man in question. Not that she was going to admit to anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She attempted to drag her arm away from him but he tightened his grip on her elbow. "Wufei, this is a public building, I don't control who comes and goes. He works here, I work here, and it was inevitable we would run into each other eventually." She tried to pull her hand away once more, this time she was successful. She stopped, as did he. The two stood in the hallway glaring at each other both unwilling to admit defeat.

"You planned that, you never eat at the restaurant here."

"If you thought that was true why didn't you stop me?" It was an insolent question to ask and she hated the taste it left in her mouth after. He looked away briefly, it wasn't much of a reaction on his part but it was enough to make her regret saying it.

"Maybe I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, it is a restaurant after all, far be it from me to stop you from eating. Clearly I won't make that mistake again."

She and Wufei had never worked together, had nothing resembling a friendship, so she couldn't understand why his words stung so much. She felt like she had disappointed him or lost his trust in some way. She couldn't help the flush that engulfed her skin.

* * *

He stood outside the old building for approximately ten minutes. He knew because he had been checking his watch often. The building wasn't actually that old but the overgrown vines and bushes created the illusion of a decrepit building and for good reason. The occupant wanted no one to know he was here. To most of the world he was dead but to a select few he was probably a loose end. He was tempted to pull out a knife he kept in the side of his shoe to move some of the vines but he wanted the leave it just as he found it. He walked around the back looking for a more accessible entrance, the back of the house was in much better condition. He was about to pick the lock when a voice cracked over an intercom on the door.

"Who's there?"

"Doctor it's me, Trowa."

Once he confirmed his identity the door allowed him entry. He didn't have to look far before he saw the man he knew as Doctor S. Time had not been as kind to his engineer as it had been to the others. He was now in a wheel chair as a result of the explosion on Libra, his sight had also been affected by the blast. He knew the state of the doctor before he arrived but at the sight of him the grimace had been uncontrollable. When he had heard about the condition of the man who had basically given him his identity he had been suspicious but dismissed it as slight paranoia on his part. But having just heard Howard's account of the past the wayward thought that Doctor S wasn't meant to get out of Libra alive was twice as hard to discount. Especially when you consider that Doctor J and Professor G had made it out completely unscathed while the other two had died.

"What are you doing here Trowa?"

When the decision was being made where they should meet Howard he had suggested this island as an option with every intention of visiting Doctor S in case he had anything to contribute. It had just been dumb luck Relena had a residence here. But after hearing everything Howard had to say he was glad it worked out this way. "I'm here to talk to you about Operation Meteor."

The doctor pressed a button on his chair which propelled him further into the house with a small humming noise. The house, if it could be considered that was painted white with the most generic of furniture. It would resemble a large prison cell if it had any bars on the windows. Trowa followed and waited for a response. Silence echoed in the room as the motor on the chair stopped, Doctor S remained with his back to Trowa but the glass on a nearby cabinet betrayed him. "You know everything there is to know."

From his vantage point Trowa watched as the now bald headed man shifted nervously, his eyes darting in every direction. "That's what I thought, seems I was wrong. Tell me about the virus."

"Where did you hear about that?"

Trowa walked around him stopping in front of the wheel chair, he wanted to be in a position to watch every nuance and reaction while also allowing the doctor to see just how serious he was. He dropped his weight onto the wall beside him, using his shoulder as leverage. He had no intention of answering that question. A good investigator never reveals their sources. What he could do was bring the doctor up to speed on what he knew so he summarized everything Howard had told them along with everything he had discovered on L3. They looked at each other, seconds turned to minutes before the doctor finally caved. He had projected an image of secrecy and apprehension, but deep down he was ready to get it off his chest.

"You have to believe me when I say I didn't know about this, not at first."

Trowa scoffed that seemed to be the sentiment of the hour, "Right."

The man in the wheel chair was visibly agitated, his hands clutched the arm rest. "You think they told us? Those guys play by different rules, most of the time you don't even realise you're a part of the game until it's too late."

"So that's what happened? You were playing their game and didn't realise it?" The skepticism in Trowa's voice was obvious.

"Based on everything you just told me you already know the answer to that."

Trowa inhaled sharply, this wasn't the time to get involved in a debate about who is to blame, and he didn't come here for a repeat of what happened with Howard he just wanted information, "The virus."

"Your source was correct about the incident on L2 but that was just a trial run. Years have passed since then I doubt if they're still using the same one which is probably why they have those labs, to refine and perfect it."

"What's the difference between the one on L2 and this one?"

What was supposed to be a laugh from the doctor morphed into a throaty cough. He wasn't well. "The colony wasn't the target, just a testing ground. After they saw the affects of the virus, they created a cure for the colony. These men aren't stupid they knew they wouldn't be able to use the same formula."

"If they wanted to get rid of the earth so badly they could've just tested it here."

Doctor S shook his head, "With tension escalating between earth and space they would have been the first suspects, but no one would suspect the colonies of infecting their own."

"You said they're still trying to perfect it so it's a good chance it's still incomplete?"

"Partly."

Trowa looked confused.

"The virus that they were trying to create had two parts. They referred to them as the Alpha and Omega. Phase one was the Alpha, a subject would be injected with it making him or her a carrier of the disease but the cells of the virus would remain dormant so the host would neither die nor become contagious. But once infected with the Omega virus the two together would set off a chemical reaction in the host and the once dormant virus would become deadly."

Trowa was growing impatient, "So have they finished it or not?"

"I wouldn't know, I'm not exactly on the best of terms with the good doctors. But chances are they're close. They were successful in releasing the virus on L2 and since then all they've had is time."

"So for all we know there could be hundreds of people walking around with this Omega virus just waiting to be activated?"

The doctor didn't answer.

"We could already be too late." Trowa mused out loud.

"You're only too late when everything on the earth is dead."

Maybe he should be grateful for the Doctor's optimism but he was far too irritated to care. Even if somehow he did believe him when he said he didn't know it was hard to separate the five of them. Or maybe like Duo he just wanted someone to blame. "How do they intend to spread this virus? What can we do?"

"If I knew I would tell you, you know that I was never interested in destroying the world but there is someone who would have more information than I do. His name is Professor Henley, god only knows what rock he lives under now."

"What was the point of doing this?"

"Power and control, money to name a few. Even if everyone on earth doesn't die, those remaining would be desperate they'd agree to anything, they'd pay anything, give anything, it's really a no lose situation if they succeed."

"The doctors don't seem the type to want to rule who are they really working for?"

"It's not one person, but rather a small group of powerful families. When they had initially planned to take over the Winner family was at the head of the line to be sovereign."

"Quatre?"

"Your Quatre Winner had been slated to rule much the way Queen Relena had rose to power here on earth. His grandfather had been instrumental in the original plan but up until Quatre's birth they had been unable to create a male, so when his mother found out she was pregnant with a boy they opted to go ahead despite the risks. However, because of the death of his wife Zayeed had a change of heart, he no longer wanted to use his only son, born in such a special way to be a part of something so sinister. He wanted to honour Quaterine's memory. Once he started favoring pacifism Oz had no choice but to kill him."

Trowa had no response to his confessions, the more questions they asked the more they realised how little they really knew about the war which had engulfed them all. They had been child actors in an adult play and it was never so obvious until this moment.

* * *

His phone calls and arrangements with Sally made there was only one thing left for Heero to do. He had always believed he was doing what was right but he had a new perspective after hearing all that Howard had to say. Feelings of anger, betrayal, confusion and loss; loss for the life he thought he had lived. Standing there processing all those feelings he couldn't help but wonder if that's how Relena had felt. The look that was on her face and the sound of her voice told him it was close.

He had been used his entire life, by friend and foe alike. People who also believed they were doing what was best. At the end of it all everyone has a reason, everyone has a conviction but do the ends really justify the means? What is to be said about the man who is willing to sacrifice himself for a cause, is he more righteous even if his cause is flawed? And what about the man willing to sacrifice others, is he wrong even if his cause maybe for the greater good. Such questions should be tackled by philosophers, all he knew for sure was that needed to make things right. If just to prove he was better than those who had used him.

Settling into his seat on the plane, he tried in vain to relax. The sun was already setting above, it would be late by the time he actually reached her, but he knew her well enough to know she'd still be awake.

* * *

Relena rubbed her eyes gently, the dull burn becoming more intense as the hours ticked by. She was tired and so were her eyes. The small reading lamp beside her oversized white wing-back was insufficient, had been three hours ago but she was determined to finish reading the report. She paused the task at hand, arched her back and ran her hands through her hair. The two minutes of distraction should create the illusion of taking a break and fool her eyes and body into giving her atleast another hour before they shut down completely, or so she hoped. The rustle of wind disturbing leaves created a soft hush in the room, made louder due to the late hour. Goose pimples prickled along her forearm, but soldiered on. With a quick tug of the opening to her white silk robe, she was ready to continue. She read two more words before throwing the pile of papers on the mahogany table beside her and stood, hugging herself tightly. It was suddenly a few degrees colder now removed from the warmth of the chair. As she walked idly around the room soft patter hitting the French doors caught her attention. It was raining, no wonder. Deciding it was time to retire for the night she walked over to the small reading lamp and tugged the mental chain which dangled at the side. On her way toward the door she walked by an oak half table, her fingers leisurely caressing the edge, dipping in and out of its decorative carvings. At one time, there had been a vase on its surface, now it was vacant. She had never gotten around to replacing the one that fell, or maybe she didn't want to.

It had been a night similar to this one, dark and cold. She had just returned home from a trip to Asia and she couldn't wait to get inside and warm up. Heero had been with her for that trip but it had been far from pleasant. She had tried her best not to let it distract her but once home she had committed herself to resolve the problem, whatever it was. She made herself a cup of tea and offered him a drink, which he refused. But she hadn't given up, she engaged in small talk, laughing and pausing ever so often, pretending that everything was ok. He never responded, wasn't so much as an indication he had heard her or that she was present. She had finally had enough.

 _"_ _How long do you plan on being like this?"_

 _He had stood with his back to her, refusing to turn around or look at her. It was both infuriating and painful. She tugged his shoulder to turn him around, but he was either not expecting it or he had really started to hate her, either way his attempt to shrug her off had caused her to stumble. Her back collided with the table knocking the vase and its content onto the floor. The sprinkling of shattered glass seemed to magnify in the large room taking whatever was keeping them apart with it. He had rushed to her muttering a soft apology. At one point the strain in his voice and the urgency of his touch made her believe he was apologizing for more than shattered glass, but she had been too relieved and thankful to be back in his arms to question._

Looking back now it was all too obvious what she had seen in him then. With a shake of the head she moved toward the doorway. She would've exited the room, if there wasn't something in her way.

In the dark he looked menacing, brooding and alluring. She was frozen. The temperature in the room must have dropped significantly because she was struggling to keep her body from trembling. For the past few days she had been rehearsing what she would say in this moment. Now she was here none of her words seemed powerful enough to convey how she was feeling. Her pride told her to be angry but her heart wanted everything to be ok again. Neither attempted to move, they were both caught in the current, a tide of past emotions crashing into present need leaving both swirling in uncertainty and apprehension. A branch of a nearby tree tapped the window breaking her trance. She turned automatically in the direction of the sound as if to confirm they were still alone. Curiosity satisfied she turned back to Heero and found that he was now a breath away from her, his long bangs sprinkling her face with tiny droplets only then did she realise he was soaked. His damp hand came up to her neck, fingers moved in slow motion at her nape.

"I'm sorry."

Her eyes watered. That was it, no elaborate speech, no emotional outpouring; just two words, the most basic of apologies without preamble or explanation. But just those two words were enough to shatter her resolve. Her mask fell, finally allowing herself to succumb to the emotions she'd been harboring. Her body convulsed in his arms, tears disappearing in already wet clothing. He held her until she was silent and her body stilled. It wasn't long before their ragged breaths rivaled the sound of the wind outside.


	9. Chapter 9

**Trust**

 **Chapter Nine**

The air was still, the place eerily quiet. This part of L2 was like a ghost town, no cars on the road, and no people on the sidewalks. The streets were dark with hardly any light visible from homes or shops only the occasional flicker of old street lights illuminated the area. It was just empty, abandoned. After the virus outbreak healthy citizens had fled, and once the infected were cured they fled as well afraid of possibly being exposed to the illness again. People were afraid of everything they touched or ate since they didn't know where the illness had originated and no one had returned since. He himself had avoided the place for years, until now. Duo had an irresistible urge to visit the area the minute he landed back on the colony. Why he didn't know. Seeing it again wasn't going to change what happened, it wasn't going to bring back his friends. The only thing that had changed was his perspective. His eyes had been opened. Before, whenever he thought about the outbreak he would be overcome with sadness now he didn't have it in him to be sad anymore. The only thing left in him was resentment and anger. He stopped by a wooden cart, it was old and clearly rotting from exposure. "Reminds me of the food carts we used to raid back then."

Hilde walked up next to him, "Yea?"

"Yeah" He shoved his hands into his pockets. The material under his skin was thin, a little worn and tattered. Still he wore it today, his clergy outfit had been tucked away for some time. He no longer wore it but he could never get rid of it, too many fond memories were attached to the threads to be thrown away. And it had been a welcomed addition for today's trip down memory lane. Vivid memories of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen crowded his thoughts, if they were here they would tell him he needed to forgive his enemies but he doubted that was ever going to happen.

* * *

There wasn't much to see or hear at five a.m. in the morning. The early morning song of birds and the low hum of the bike was the only sound for miles. The air was cool, chilled further by the speed of the vehicle. The wind pushed against him, the g forces hardly impacting his body or balance.

He pulled into the old gates of the doctor's house, he had stayed close for the past few days. He wasn't sure if he had gotten the full story and he hoped that he'd be able to extract more. He no longer felt it necessary to announce himself, by now the old man had grown accustomed to his presence, somewhat.

"You're wasting your time coming here." Trowa hadn't yet laid eyes on the doctor but his voice greeted him as he walked in, he wasn't deterred. He continued into the makeshift room, as he rounded the corner he had to alter his steps to avoid collision. Dr. S was sitting in the doorway. "You need to leave."

Trowa narrowed his eyes, the room was still slightly dark, especially since the windows were blocked out and it took a while for any natural light to penetrate the thick shrubs. Still in the dawn he could see the glint from the gun. "What are you doing?"

"You need to leave I've shared all I know with you, now go." The gun lowered slightly as the aging man's body racked with a deep cough. "I'm an old man in bad health, my time is up."

Hesitantly, Trowa took a step toward the man in the chair, "Doctor.." Whatever was going on, it would seem that he meant no real harm. The thought allowed his body to relax for a moment before adrenaline caused tension to return to his limbs, the gun once again pointed at his chest.

"Leave Trowa they're coming."

"Who's coming?"

"People who don't want to be stopped. Here, this is the last piece of information I could gather." He thrust an envelope out to Trowa, "It's the location of Dr. Henley."

Trowa scrutinized him, he wanted to ask more, who were they and how he knew they were coming but he didn't want to waste time. He made another step toward him, "Let's go we can leave before…" A bullet whizzed by his head, embedding in the wall behind him.

"No, I robbed you of a life once before, I won't do it again."

His voice and eyes were strained with remorse. It was funny, he felt like he had robbed him of a life but as far as he was concerned he had actually given him one. Trowa made another attempt, "This isn't the way to atone for that, let me help you."

The sadness which had clouded the doctor's eyes evaporated, replaced by a steely determination. Trowa knew right then he was fighting a losing battle. The hand with the gun rose higher, his hold firmer as his finger put more weight on the trigger. "Leave," with a softer voice he pleaded, "Please."

Trowa walked backward, his eyes held firm to the doctor's, at the corridor he paused taking one last look at the crippled man. He never would have called this person his friend but still he felt somewhat sad about leaving him to his fate.

Now alone in the house, he put the gun down on his leg. Pushing the motor on his chair he wheeled himself to an old cabinet. It took considerable effort to pry the door open, it wasn't often that it was used. He peered inside, his hand trembled as he reached for the contents, "I'm sorry Trowa."

* * *

Trowa watched as the roof of the house disappeared in his rear view mirror, his mind on the man inside. His eyes still fixed behind him he had to swerve sharply to avoid an oncoming car, its horn blaring, urging him to get out of the way. Collision avoided he turned his eyes forward focused on the road ahead when he realised there were two other vehicles following the first, all three the same model, none of them with plates. These had to be them, whoever they were. He wanted to know, he wanted to intervene. With a sharp U turn he pulled his bike in the direction of the house, using his right leg as an anchor. He tore the helmet from his head throwing it into the nearby bush, frustration well past the boiling point. He gripped the handles on the bike, the vehicles weren't far away now, if he was going to help he needed to make the decision and make it fast.

The tires screamed beneath him as he pulled the bike around to face the opposite direction as he muttered a slew of choice words under his breath. As he looked into the rearview mirror he saw the vehicles make the turn he had made over the past few days. The roof of the house was now completely invisible in the distance, but there was no mistaking the smoke now forming an ominous cloud above the residence. His mind raced faster than the bike ever could, he had to come to grips with the fact that Doctor S was beyond aid but there was someone else who he could probably save. Chances are if they knew about the doctor they also knew about Howard. Maybe he could make it in time to save atleast one.

* * *

It was warm inside the white pickup, unusually warm. The colonies didn't suffer from heat waves or many fluctuations in temperatures. That is unless something malfunctioned. She was suddenly more grateful for her attire, she surely would've melted if she had been in that preventer jacket. Instead she wore a white loose fitting tank and jeans. Sally wiped a hand over her forehead while she listened intently to the plan being laid out by her partner. She wondered if he was at all affected by the heat, especially since he was wearing black. Probably not.

She watched him as he spoke, ever fluent in the topic at hand. He had none of the usual speech stoppages, the uhs or ums no hesitation at all. If she had to admit, she liked listening to him, observing his confidence, not to mention the tone of his voice. For the last fifteen minutes he had been sharing information on Gen Labs, its personnel, research and general office locations. All generic information as for as she was concerned, so far he had said nothing that couldn't have been easily obtained from an online search. It was obvious to her that he was withholding information, vital information. "Explain to me why we're doing this, what are you looking for?"

He paused only long enough to look at her before continuing as though she hadn't just spoken. He shifted slightly in his seat, pointing to the building to give her a 3d visual of his directions. His knowledge was extensive but that wasn't a surprise, and even though she had come to rely and trust him and his skills over the years she didn't like being in the dark. After all she was doing him a favour, this wasn't an official mission she doubted if anyone even knew they were here, so the least he could do was be forthcoming. "What aren't you telling me?"

He leaned into the backseat and retrieved his jacket, slipping it on as he spoke, "I don't have time to explain everything right now but," He looked back at her, one foot already out the door, "if we succeed I promise to tell you everything I know."

If it had been anyone else she would have demanded to know right now but with a sigh she resigned to take him at his word. She ran around the front of the truck to walk beside him, "How do you intend to get access to this information, will we be using a back entrance?" Another piece of the puzzle he neglected to mention. He kept his gaze straight ahead while they waited for an opening in the flow of traffic, "By asking for it of course."

The busy street gave her a few more minutes to question him. "You can't just walk in there and demand information, one you're not on active duty and two it violates confidentiality you're not a doctor." Her shoulders drooped as soon as the words filtered through her ears, she looked up in time to see the hint of a smile playing on his features. "And that's why I'm here."

They jogged across to the other side as soon as there was a pause in the flow of vehicles. That's when she realised where he was going. She shook her head as they walked up to the front door, "This is why I don't like going on missions with you."

Using Sally's preventer credentials they were allowed to walk through most of the building unchecked. Occasionally a questioning glance or a raised eyebrow would be delivered in their direction but no one dared to ask. Those curios looks grew into full blown gawks as they entered the office of the late Dr. Blair. They didn't exactly know what to expect when they entered the room but both pairs of brows rose upon seeing its state. It was almost as though they were waiting on the doctor to return and pick up where he left.

Sally made herself comfortable behind the metal desk but he dare not move from his position at the door. The small glass square provided a way to keep an eye on their surroundings.

She started her search, "What exactly am I looking for?"

"A common denominator."

Her eyes darted from the screen to him and back, "Try again."

"Something that his patients all have in common."

Sally rolled her eyes, "Is that what that means? That could be anything, age? Illness? Gender? Can you be a little more specific?"

"How many people were assigned to Blair?"

Her typing restarted, "Ok, I see a list of one hundred and twenty three people here."

"Here's where you look for common denominators."

Her nostrils flared, he wasn't trying to be condescending but sometimes his lack of tact was irritating. She continued searching through files, "The subjects chosen for these studies are random Heero any similarities we find would just be coincidence. But…"

"What?"

"They do have something in common, not all but oddly enough eighty of them have the same blood type. What are the odds of that?"

"Narrow the search to those people see what you find."

"You know you could help this along by just telling me why we're here."

He looked at her and she could tell that he was weighing his options and it was thoroughly infuriating. Here she was trying to help him and he was trying his best to keep her in the dark. She folded her arms, sat back in the chair and waited. They didn't have all day here, in fact they were on borrowed time a fact she was counting on. It was an old fashioned stare down, but when the muscle in his jaw tightened she had to stifle a triumphant smile.

"What would be the easiest way to infect someone with a virus without their knowledge?"

Her hands fell to her lap, "You are speaking hypothetically right?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course," She paused and readjusted her decibels, "Of course it matters, I think it's time you tell me the whole story."

"Just answer the question."

She brought a hand up to massage her temple, 'Well, hypothetically speaking an I. V might be a good way. If someone is hospitalized for whatever reason you can run a I.V, tell them it's a painkiller or fluids they usually won't question or resist."

"Plausible, but what if they're not hospitalized?"

She stared absentmindedly at the wall beside his head, chewing the inside of her lip, a habit when she was deep in thought. "I hate to say this but, vaccinations. Literally millions of people get them from birth and during their life. None of them actually have a clue what's in the syringe."

His interest now piqued he moved away from the door to stand behind her, "People get vaccinated when travelling to certain areas as well." He looked down at her to see if she was following his train of thought, and she was. She typed in the criteria and watched as more and more names populated the list. In total, one hundred and twenty people were given some form of medication or atleast that's what it was called. Above her Heero voiced the question before she had wrapped her mind around it to check, "Where were they going?"

"The colonies. But that doesn't make any sense, there is no mandatory inoculation necessary to visit the colonies."

Heero moved back to the door to check they were still safe, "It's like you said people will take almost anything administered by a doctor without question. Perhaps they were told it would help protect their bodies from any deterioration during their stay. That was the purpose of their research after all. Copy what you've found we have to go."

"Is someone coming?"

"No, not yet." Still she moved as quickly as she could.

They exited the room shortly after and she found herself glancing nervously about them, "I thought you saw something."

His voice was still as flat as ever, no hint that they were in any danger, "Look around."

"I have, I don't see anything."

"Exactly, everyone's gone." They hurried through the building retracing their steps to the front door, the return trip took half the time as it did to get to Blair's office. They each pushed one half of the double doors but neither budged. They both took two steps back when Heero drew his gun, shooting three holes into the lock of the door. They pushed it once more to no avail. "It's blocked from the outside."

Sally threw her hands in the air, "So what's plan B?"

He did an about turn and continued his search for an exit, "There is no Plan B."

"What?" Sally chipped to catch up to him, but no further explanations came. "Another reason why I don't like going on missions with you."

There wasn't a sound to be heard in the entire building, no one to be seen. The only noise came from their hurried footsteps as they searched frantically for an escape.

"Heero!" Sally stood still at an open door but the look on her face was anything but hopeful. He retreated to her position. The door, rather than being an opening to the outside world opened to what looked like a utility closet. In front of them a digital clock, its red numbers aglow in the dark space but it wasn't telling time. It was a counter, ticking backwards with four minutes left on the timer.

They looked at each other their response automatic as they sprinted down the corridors. Before they were looking for an exit, now they were looking for a means of survival even if it was just an insulated room.

Sally jogged the entire length of the floor they were on, desperation now fueled her every step and intensified as another door refused to open. Her shoulders slumped, that was the last door on this floor. She turned around looking for her partner and found him working on a door she had already tried. They were wasting time, they needed to get further away. She was about to object and object harshly but it wasn't worth the effort. He wouldn't have heard above the sound of yet another flurry of bullets. This time the bullet riddled door gave way, "We don't have time to look for an exit." He said as he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her inside. The building shook violently as the explosion ripped through its concrete walls, the door now unstable imploded, throwing their bodies against the wall behind them.

* * *

"Ms. Relena excellent presentation as usual." Liam Smith one of the ESUN delegates approached as she made her way to the door.

She smiled in acceptance of his compliment, "Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it."

The older gentleman extended his hand once he was within reach, the grey sleeve of his blazer retracted to showcase a very impressive timepiece. "I for one believe there is still much to be done to improve relations between earth and space. Though it seems at times earth is making more effort than our friends in the colonies."

She didn't have time to rebut his accusation, not before a scoff escaped the man behind her. "If we adopt that line of thinking we'll only harbor animosity and mistrust. Who makes the effort to heal the rift is irrelevant as long as we succeed." She hoped her words were enough to draw attention from the mild interruption, unfortunately the look on Smith's face told her she had failed.

"While that may be true, it speaks to their willingness to integrate and coexist with us and considering it wasn't so long ago they were trying to destroy the earth one would think if they were truly sorry they'd be making a concerted effort to make amends." Smith regarded the intruder with restrained condescension. "It seems your preventer friend doesn't agree." Smith tipped his nose in the air, "Maybe he'd like to share _his_ opinion."

"Why bother, any explanation I give would be hindered by your ability to comprehend it."

Relena squeezed her eyes tighter with every word that fell from Wufei's lips. It would have been less insulting if he had just called Smith stupid. She opened her mouth to issue an apology on her escort's behalf but Smith apparently wasn't interested, he turned sharply on his heels and left. And so did she, refusing to look at or acknowledge Wufei as she stomped to the car. Never had it been so difficult to open a car door, but her hands trembled in fury. "I can't believe you said that." She gave up her fight with the door and turned to face him but if she hoped to see any regret for his actions she was sorely mistaken.

"You were talking about things you don't understand."

"Is that so, well no matter your opinion on any subject of conversation in which I'm engaged I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself." She yanked at the door, finally managed to unlock it. "You don't see me telling you how to do your job do you?"

"No I don't but then I'm competent at my job."

Despite all her effort to open the door she didn't think twice to slam it shut, "Meaning?"

He looked over her head watching as a woman hurriedly crossed the street, "Nothing."

She maneuvered her head to get his attention, "No, because it sounds like you think I'm incompetent."

He looked down at her finally, "I didn't mean it that way."

His tone was softer than she had ever heard, his facial features soft, in the moment he looked every inch a fresh faced juvenile.

He reached behind her and reopened the door. "We need to leave."

They drove in silence, strained, the tension palpable. Her natural instincts to mend relations nagged at her to break the ice. She smoothed the material in her lap while she tried to think of something she could use to initiate conversation with him. "You said before that you wouldn't waste your time explaining it to him, perhaps you wouldn't mind sharing it with me?"

"Maybe I don't think you're smart enough either."

Her hair stood on edge at the sudden attack on her intelligence and she instantly regretted her attempt at reconciliation. She was about to offer a retort when she noticed the faintest of smiles on his face. He was joking. Her lips protruded into a pout, "Cute." She continued to watch him as she waited for him to respond. His eyes shifted from her to the road several times, he was tense, his strained knuckles betraying him. Noticing his discomfort she turned her eyes back to the road, this was a familiar neighborhood so there was nothing to old her interest but she hoped that diverting her attention would make it easier for him to speak freely.

She risked another glance at him, their eyes collided and they both rushed to turn away. It was weirdly comical this situation they had found themselves in but she wasn't going to push. She instead settled into her seat and relaxed. She made no attempt to move when she heard him clear his throat, just waited.

"That comment I made about being incompetent wasn't directed at you, I was actually referring to Smith." She smiled at the confession but kept her eyes out the window as he continued. "The fact is trust between the earth and the colonies will never be what you want it to be. Too much has happened."

Surprised by this statement she turned in her seat to face him, "What do you mean?"

"I mean people will only know what they're told. The people of earth were told the colonies wanted to destroy them and vice versa, when in fact it was only a handful of people to blame but people tend to make large generalisations. Too often we allow the opinions of leaders to be interpreted as the opinion of the masses and it's rarely the case."

Relena nodded silently in full appreciation of his words. The ones dragging their feet were the ones in political office maybe it provided some benefit to them economically or politically to prolong the current state. She looked again to Wufei as he continued. "I learned that first hand during the Mariemaia coup. The voice of the people was heard loud and clear, they spoke up and refused to allow leaders to dictate their lives."

Whether he mentioned Mariemaia but accident or on purpose she couldn't tell but it seemed to reverse the progress they had just made, the tension had once again returned. She didn't know what to do or say and by the looks of it neither did he which led her to believe it was a slip of the tongue.

"I'm sorry."

His sudden apology caught her off guard. She closed her eyes as her emotions threatened to overtake her. She never imagined hearing those words from him in any capacity.

"I was young and held a very black and white view of the world. I," he sighed, "I don't mean to be difficult I just couldn't understand your willingness to forgive and accept me."

This was never a conversation she had ever envisioned having with him and her mind was struggling to catch up. She was speechless, she could only stare at the side of his face as she recalled every exchange they'd had over the past few days. Offers of coffee he had refused, light greetings he hadn't returned just a general unwillingness to interact with her beyond the job. She had chalked it up to his general dislike of her, she had never thought to look deeper, never assumed that his attitude was more about him than it was about her. He was angry at himself, hadn't yet forgiven himself and in turn couldn't understand how she could. Her mind was devoid of all thought, she wasn't sure how to handle this but she also didn't want to waste the opportunity. "It's not like I requested you, I didn't exactly have a choice."

It was now his turn to be surprised, his head snapped to face her and she gave him a small smile. "I understand what it is like to be young with a black and white view of the world. I learned a lot as well during that time, which is why I no longer speak on total pacifism. Peace needs people like you, fighting spirits that challenge the status quo. Without fighters," she attempted to lighten the mood, "We'd all be ruled by a tween right about now."

He laughed for the first time in her presence, "How would it be any different from when you did it?"

"Wouldn't you rather have an R on your shoulder than an M? Besides I wouldn't have dressed you in pink."


	10. Chapter 10

Trust

Chapter Ten

* * *

"That's a nasty bump you've got there."

Sally rubbed her forehead as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her head throbbed and her back ached. She looked around slowly through squinted eyes as she tried to identify the voice she had just heard. But there was no one there, the room was empty. She laid her head down gingerly, resigned to the fact that she probably imagined it.

Taking two deep breaths Sally allowed her body to relax into the soft mattress, or what she assumed was a mattress. She dropped one hand over the side and explored the furniture. No sheet, no mattress, just a – her investigation ended abruptly. She jumped to her feet as the memory of the explosion rushed to the surface. The jolt from her sudden movement intensified her pain but she had no time to acknowledge it. She had to figure out where she was and... 'Heero'. Her pulse quickened, her head throbbed in tandem with her heartbeat. Her mind explored several scenarios, the possibility they had been captured being the most frightening but most probable, except her surroundings didn't support that theory. Nothing about it said prison. It was neither sterile nor cold. She looked down at the piece of furniture she had just vacated, as suspected it wasn't a bed instead a wooden bench with cushions tied to the surface, there was also a coffee table, some books and personal items on the shelves and walls. On the far wall was a television, adjacent to it a window not large but big enough to escape and most notably the door, which was ajar.

Sally watched the door intently as she tried to weigh her options but before she could decide, the floor down the hall squeaked signaling someone's approach. Her fight or flight response was in over drive but her body wasn't up to the task. Her eyes widened as the door was pushed opened revealing the identity of her captors.

"You're awake."

Heero.

"Brought you some pain killers for that bump."

And Duo.

Adrenaline evaporated from her body at the realization that she was in no danger leaving her exhausted. With a groan she flopped back onto the make shift bed. "I hate the both of you."

Duo set the pills and a glass of water down on the coffee table. "Is that any way to greet your heroes?"

She sprang to her feet, muttering curses at her self-inflicted pain. "This is why I don't go on missions with you. Things blow up and people die."

Heero took up residence on a nearby bench, almost identical to the one Sally had laid on except no cushions. "You don't"

"Not yet." Sally sat gingerly at the end of the bench so she could make use of the pills Duo brought in earlier. "How did you even manage to find us?"

Duo switched on the television and lowered the volume. "Simple really-"

Sally scoffed at his choice of words. Nothing they did was ever simple. She scooped the pills into her mouth and took a mouthful of water, throwing her head back to propel the medication down her throat. She regretted it instantly. Returning the glass to its original position she rubbed her head in a futile attempt at abating the pain.

"I knew where you were and what you were doing. I make it a habit to know what's going on my colony."

She looked up at Heero, trying her best not to move her head in the process. "I thought you didn't have a plan B?"

"He was always part of plan A."

Sally looked to Duo who was now standing next the Heero. "Then you were late."

"Hey." Duo held both hands up defensively. "There was no way to know they'd go that far."

Sally's memory began to improve as the conversation progressed but there was one thing she had yet to recall or figure out. "How did we get out?"

Heero was first to respond."The explosion was small; half the building was still intact. Makes me wonder if they meant to kill us or if we just visited on the wrong day."

Sally couldn't help the moan that escaped her. The implication that they hadn't been the intended target did nothing to soothe her pain. In fact it was more than a little insulting, it might be a cynical thought but she would rather be a victim of an assassination than just a victim of circumstance. She couldn't dwell on that long though there were still too many questions to be answered. She leveled a glare at Heero. "If I remember correctly you promised to tell me everything."

His lips twitched. "That you remember."

Sally could feel the tremor of a laugh in her chest but she wanted to remain as stoic as possible. She cleared her throat in a weak attempt to chase away the laughter and also to give him time to answer. A part of her was concerned that he may not be forthcoming but if he was anything Heero was a man of his word.

Before either of them could speak the door opened once more. This time it was a woman to enter, Hilde. It really shouldn't have been a surprise but all things considered she was the last person Sally had expected to see. Then she realised, the personal items, the décor, her assessment from earlier had been correct. This must be there home.

Sally watched as the younger woman set down a tray with tea and neatly trimmed sandwiches. "I thought you might be hungry." were the only words she muttered before she exited just as quietly and quickly as she entered. Sharing her life and home with Duo she was probably used to clandestine meetings and made herself as scarce as possible. Once they were alone Sally turned her attention back to Heero. It was time that she knew the truth.

* * *

Relena pressed her lips tightly together to stifle yet another yawn, the third in a less than ten minutes. It was ten pm, thirteen hours since she had last seen her bed and it was starting to tell on her. But this was life as the Vice Minister, atleast that is what she told herself. It had become quite evident to her that there were many politicians of equal if not higher status that didn't appear at every event. So maybe she was just a closet masochist. Which is why she was here at another event, god only knows for who or why. It was just another entry in her calendar about which she was reminded by her assistant. It wasn't a good sign when she no longer kept up with the whys of her social gatherings and admittedly she felt slightly guilty but there were just too many. Some of which were of little significance other than to give bored house wives an occasion to dress up.

There was a low hum in the air from the many conversations around the room as dignitaries mingled and cajoled each other, each with their own agenda and cause. It was a dance of tongues until one was declared the victor or someone more interesting appeared. And here she stood in one such conversation. Her eyes skimmed the room as she listened with on ear to the man in front of her. His angle? Funding for something insignificant, must have been since she couldn't remember. The art of feigning attention was a skill she had mastered long ago so she did as any good conversationalist did in her position. She smiled when he laughed, looked concerned when his tone warranted and redirected his questions with a question. Maybe she was too good at it or maybe he just didn't care that she was uninterested. Then without warning his angle changed, the focus this time? Her. He stepped closer into her personal space and begun a deluge of testosterone fueled drivel. She needed an escape, fast.

"Excuse me Miss Relena." Relena jumped at the sound of Wufei's voice behind her, not in surprise but in hope. She could care less what he wanted, she wasn't going to let him leave without her. Relena turned to face her life line.

"I apologize for the interruption but I need to speak to you in private."

Saved. But at the same time she was slightly concerned. She allowed Wufei to lead her away. Surprisingly he didn't opt for a more secluded area rather just a few feet away from where she had been previously standing, granted this part of the hall had less bodies.

"What is it?" She voiced the question as soon as they stopped walking.

Wufei looked around only briefly before looking down at her. "You looked like you needed to be rescued."

Relena covered her face with both hands as relief and amusement engulfed her. She took a deep breath to chase away what was sure to be an un-lady like cackle before removing her hands. "Well I didn't know incessant nags were on the Preventer watch list."

"Call it a favor for a friend."

She gave a mock gasp. "For me?" The look on his face told her otherwise. "Remind me to thank this friend."

"Why would you thank him? You should be thanking me."

"You were paid this month weren't you?"

"Yeah, late."

There was no stopping the laughter, not this time. "I'm sorry, you should have said something sooner."

After the laughter subsided, Relena's smile remained as she regarded him. Something about his jet black hair just made his tux seem more sophisticated compared to the many others on display. Who would have thought after everything they would be standing smiling at each other. Her relationship and interactions with one Wufei Chang had morphed into an amicable understanding of one another, maybe too early to call it friendship but it was well underway.

Relena was still staring at him when she noticed his slow lean toward her. "Here comes another one."

A quick glance to her right showed a fast approaching Duncan Michaels, his eyes dead set on her making his destination known. "Ten minutes, then rescue me."

"Ms. Relena, I'd love to talk to you about Mars, if you would spare me a few minutes." Michaels said as he got within polite speaking range.

"Make that seven minutes."

"I hear things are progressing…." was the only part of the conversation Wufei heard as he moved away. He too had someone he needed to speak with. Not long after his rescue mission he had spotted the man in question or rather the man had allowed himself to be seen. Moving with deliberate slowness Wufei moved toward the area where he had last spotted the brunette. Leaning against the wall close to an archway he watched the crowd before him. He didn't turn when he heard footsteps stop behind him, it was better not to draw attention to either of them. "When did you get back?"

Trowa stood on the inside of the archway on the wall adjacent to Wufei. It provided the perfect channel for them to hear and see each other while also providing him cover since no one on the other side would be able to see him.

"A couple hours ago." There was a moment pause before he continued. "Howard is dead, so is Dr. S."

It took every ounce of will power for Wufei not to react or look toward the source of the news. "How?"

"Howard was shot, he was barely alive when I found him" Trowa closed his eyes against the memory however futile of an act it was in dulling the images. He had driven as fast as he could but it hadn't been fast enough. By the way events had unfolded it seemed like simultaneous hits. There was nothing he could have done. He wanted to believe that more than anything. Leaving the doctor had been difficult but at least he was spared the spectacle of watching him die. Maybe karma decided to punish him twofold for that because Howard had died in his arms, blood spluttering from his mouth as he apologized over and over for keeping them in the dark. In that moment he knew there were no words to help ease the man's pain or guilt so he did the only thing he could do, accept the apology and assure him that none of this was his fault. He even went as far as to promise him that everything was going to be alright. Trowa looked down at his palms both hands had been covered in Howard's blood as he took his last breath.

"What about the Doctor?" Wufei's prodding brought him back to the present.

"An explosion."

"Why would anyone want them dead, and why did you go to see them?"

It was then Trowa realised that Wufei didn't know as much as he had previously thought. "How much do you know?"

Wufei scoffed. "Not much, I'm apparently not on the need to know list."

"That's not true."

"Don't insult me; I know what you guys think."

"You're wrong Wufei."

Wufei checked his watch, seven minutes was long gone. "Your time's up." He didn't wait for a response he knew what they thought. To be honest he really couldn't blame but that didn't mean he wanted to listen.

* * *

"How long was the incubation period?"

"Two hours."

Nicholai walked a few steps behind the aging mad scientists as the two exchanged scientific and medical notes regarding their tests subjects.

"That's far too short."

"I realise that."

Nicholai wrinkled his nose against the scent of disinfectant mixed with decaying flesh and dying bodies. What was it about hospitals? The scent seemed to be painted into the walls and seeped through the vents. It was everywhere.

"Time til death?"

"Ten hours, twelve max."

"Then it's still too volatile and unstable."

"Indeed, it would be premature of us to move ahead while it's in this state."

Nicholai stared at the two in front of him, their white coats floating slightly at the hem as they walked. Maybe it wasn't the hospital, maybe the scent followed them. They were on the fifth floor of a seven storey hospital. The two floors above insulated them from the loud bursts of thunder and lightning which tormented the people outside. He shook his head as a wayward thought formed; even the weather seemed to respond to their presence.

"We need to move them. It's too soon for this to make an appearance." By now they had stopped walking and now stood in the middle of a large open room flanked on either side by beds surrounded by think veils of plastic, beyond that glass doors, after which point has-mat suits were required.

"We don't want to arouse suspicion. Besides we couldn't possible pay off every doctor, nurse and orderly."

"You don't own this facility?" It was the first time Nicholai had interrupted the duo but this revelation was shocking.

"Of course we don't, we're not made of money."

Nicholai struggled to maintain his composure, that was not what he had expected to hear but this wasn't the place to falter. It was unfathomable that they were using a public hospital filled with unsuspecting staff and patients but then if they were trying to eradicate life on earth this shouldn't matter. Ridiculous and hypocritical were the only ways to describe what he was feeling. It's not like he was innocent, his sudden concern for the lives of humans was disgusting even to himself.

Nicholai remained silent, another outburst from him might not be received as well as the first. The two were obviously in a generous mood and they were sharing more information in one night than they had in months of working with them. They were calculating, everything they did had a purpose. Every detail studied before being executed. The gundam pilots and the Preventers were no doubt searching underground channels, questioning every criminal element to no avail. What they were essentially doing was hiding in plain sight and so far it was working. Their titles as doctors meant that no one ever questioned their presence in a hospital or their so called patients. Although he was sure that someone in the hospital or someone very powerful knew they were here and was protecting them from unwanted inquiries whether in house or in government. But now there was a hitch and their ingenious cover needed to be protected.

* * *

Stepping out of the warm interior of the car had called for several minutes of mental preparation and one exasperated and annoyed look from the driver but eventually Relena stepped out. Much to her delight it was a still night, without the wind the chill was reduced considerably which made her earlier hesitation seem quite silly and the look on Wufei's face confirmed that was exactly what he thought as well.

Relena stared down at the tips of her black stilettos as she followed him up the steps to her door, it still amazed her how much things had changed between them. Lost in thought she followed him idly, moving up the next step only after his feet had cleared the one above. Her gaze was still cast downward while she waited for his feet to ascend the next step before she did the same. But after a moment of no movement she raised her head, something had stopped him in his tracks and she wanted to know what. With a small side step she was no long obstructed by Wufei's back. In front of them there was someone where the door should have been.

"I should shoot you just for being here uninvited." Despite the threat Wufei's voice held no real signs of annoyance or anger and the glint in Trowa's eye indicated he knew it was a bluff.

"You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man would you?"

"Of course he wouldn't." Relena interjected. She was genuinely happy to see Trowa and had to refrain from embracing him when she realised she had taken a few steps to close the distance between them. "Trowa how are you?"

"I'm fine and yourself?"

"You're more gullible than I thought if you think for a second he's unarmed."

Relena drew in a deep breath, they may have sorted through most of their animosity but he was still very terse. "Maybe, but standing out here talking about it must be a security risk so how about we all just go inside."

Trowa smiled over her head at Wufei. "I couldn't agree more."

Shrugging out of her coat Relena led the two into the sitting room. "Would you like something to drink Trowa?"

"No thank you."

"You're not going to ask me?"

Relena looked over to where Wufei sat perched on the arm of the sofa. "You know where everything is already; anyway I'll leave you two to it. I'm off to bed, night."

Even after Relena had disappeared into the house the two men continued on in silence until Trowa finally broke the deadlock. "Operation Meteor…."

* * *

Sally couldn't bear to look at them. What she was hearing just didn't make any sense, except it did. How could it not after everything they had seen in the past. But this had to be a new level of depravity. Yet despite being told that they were seemingly under attack the one thing her mind kept returning to was the fact that they had kept silent for this long. "How long were you going to keep this quiet?" She asked to no one in particular but no response came. "This is beyond crazy, it's our job." She pointed an accusatory finger at Heero. "Your job!"

Radio silence.

"I'm calling Une."

Sally made for the door but her progress was halted by the 5'8" frame of Duo Maxwell. "No, did you hear anything we just said?"

"What's your point?" She folded her hands over her chest. Whether the painkillers had taken affect or if the shock of the news she just heard had dulled her to physical pain she couldn't be sure nor did she care. There were more important things to worry about.

Duo ran a hand over his head. "You think they're doing this all on their own?"

"The insinuation being you think they're getting help from us?"

Duo stared through the open window, his words a low mumble in his throat. "Not all of you."

Heero stood, this wasn't the time to be creating division amongst each other. "Duo." It was only one word but it was laced with warning.

"What? Is there more?" Sally turned to Heero, confusion etched on her face. A silent shake of his head was all that was offered. When she turned toward the door Duo was no longer in her path. It seemed he too was tired of this conversation or there was more that he would rather not share with her even if it meant allowing her to contact Une. She didn't ask, whatever it was they could keep it. This needed to be reported.

They listened to Sally's footsteps until they were inaudible. Tension momentarily abated Heero reclaimed his seat on the bench. "She's right we should make this official."

"I'm not convinced."

It was obvious that Duo was still struggling with Howard's information. The realization that everything that had happened to his friends was orchestrated at the highest level was influencing his opinion. Heero couldn't deny he had his suspicions and he could understand Duo's aversion to government assistance especially since the Preventers was essentially just a happy blend of individuals from organisations linked to past atrocities. In the past they would have tried to fix things on their own but this was different. This wasn't a case of taking aim at a mobile doll or an enemy base. This needed a different approach. "We're not reckless teenagers anymore."

Duo's shoulders slumped, the fight leaving his body as he deferred to the majority vote. "Fine, report to your handlers. I promise to be there with an umbrella to say I told you so when the shit hits the fan."

* * *

Six- forty five, morning arrived far too quickly and she had already been up for two hours. Relena smacked her cheeks in the mirror in an attempt to liven up her features. She was already dressed for work in a navy blue trouser and white button down shirt but she was the epitome of the walking dead. Maybe coffee would help. It better it was her last resort.

"Morning."

With a start Relena twirled around to find Trowa beaming at her. Instantly she was resentful, he was obviously a morning person, wide eyed and handsome. "Trowa, you're still here."

"Yeah I stayed on the couch I hope you don't mind. Was counting on your magnanimity."

He was hard to hate for more than a second. "Has anyone told you how deceptively charming you are?"

"No."

Relena smiled. "Well I won't be the first." She walked past him and continued toward the kitchen. Trowa on her heels.

"Why deceptively?"

She turned her head slightly over her shoulder but didn't stop. "Because it hides so much."

Their chatter paused once they rounded the corner and saw Wufei sitting at the island in a white undershirt and jeans.

"Wufei," Relena shook her head in a mock scold. "You've made coffee, and you haven't offered our guest anything?"

Wufei pushed off from the counter. Cup in hand he marched to the door. "I'm not his babysitter."

Trowa poured two cups of the dark liquid, with an outstretched hand he offered one to Relena. "Don't worry about it Relena, I'm quite used to his delightful personality."

She mouthed a thank you to him before taking a sip. "Remind me again when it was that you guys became friends?"

"Just about the time you fell in love with Heero."

"Touché. Speaking of…where is he?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"I doubt that."

Trowa shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know."

"Fine, keep your secrets but you can't deny you guys are quite the characters. Quatre is so sweet, you are deceptively charming and Wufei is..."

"A condescending asshole?"

Relena was about to take another sip but the task of trying not to laugh made it too difficult. "Not quite what I was going for, no."

The two drank in silence, the joke still stained on their face and lips. Even as she washed her cup her smile was still intact. The thud of boots on tiles alerted them that Wufei was on his way back to the kitchen. With great effort they both attempted to straighten guilty smiles when Wufei reemerged now with his khaki dress shirt and jacket.

Relena didn't know if or for how long she would be able to remain passive so she muttered a quick excuse me and retreated to her room to complete her morning routine.

Wufei eyed Trowa suspiciously. "Where are you headed now?"

"Before the doctor died he gave me some information, I'm going to follow up on it."

"Alone?"

"You thinking of moonlighting?"

Wufei snorted. "What about the other two?"

"Haven't heard from them," Trowa walked over to the sink to clean up "but I'll keep you posted."

"Right."

The skepticism was evident and gave Trowa pause. "I don't consider you any enemy Wufei."

Wufei smirked slightly. "Just a condescending asshole."

"Well I was in the presence of a lady, couldn't tell her what I really thought of you."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

A/N: Language, not much but still. Although there's a part of me that feels like if you're a gundam wing fan you're way past PG-13 but hey rules are rules so there's my disclaimer.

* * *

Sally looked up at the display, the red indicator still hadn't changed. The elevator for whatever reason was refusing to come back down. Of course it would happen now she was in a hurry. And it wasn't the first today. The shuttle she had boarded had experienced some kind of mechanical problem and had to be rerouted, the car she had pre-booked at the station was late and for good measure there was an accident on the way to headquarters. She assaulted the button to summon the metal box, drawing curious looks from the small group which had now formed. Sally looked at them and sighed. These people, today their biggest concern is the late elevator and the bad coffee in the lunch room, tomorrow they're being eradicated like roaches.

Sally couldn't stomach it any longer, she pushed through the crowd and made for the stairs all but running the entire flight. Her lungs burned, her legs wobbled and her head throbbed. On the landing which led to Une's office she finally allowed herself to catch her breath. She placed one palm on the wall to support herself otherwise she was likely to double over and that would just make her look as out of shape as she felt. With one long drag of air into her lungs she straightened her body and walked toward the office labelled Commander Une.

At most times of the day, the hall was usually clear of traffic. Meetings with Une happened by appointments only or in very rare cases a walk in by a very very important person. So Sally was more than a little surprised to see that she had to wait in line but this surprise was well received and even slightly comforting. She allowed herself a smile. "Someone call the National Guard. We're being invaded by martians."

Noin turned at the remark, returning an easy smile to the other woman. "Sally, it's been too long."

The two women embraced and Sally felt slightly more relaxed. "Where's your lesser half?" The sound of footsteps behind her and the smug look on Noin's face told Sally exactly where he was. Further confirmed by deep throaty sound of her name. "Sally."

Sally gave an affirmative nod to Zechs then returned to Noin. "You couldn't have told me he was here."

Noin shrugged innocently. "Now you know."

Stepping away from Noin Sally stood so she had full view of the couple. "What brings you to earth?"

"Une called us."

"What did she say?"

"There's an emergency and she needs all hands on deck."

Sally looked at Zechs. He had said nothing since he muttered her name. Ever the strong silent type or just annoyingly arrogant she couldn't figure out which. One thing was for sure, it was true women chose men just like their fathers or in Relena's case her brother. "So why are you standing out here?"

Still it was Noin who answered. "She asked us to give her a few minutes, she was taking a call. Said she also needed to wait for the others. I assume she meant you?"

"You assumed right"

* * *

Relena huddled deeper into her seat, the temperature inside jets always seemed unnecessarily cold. She should really be used to it by now but she still found it annoying. Thankfully she wouldn't have to suffer long. Today's trip was short, a quick meeting in Zurich just about an hour away. Though, the cold was only one of the issues she had to contend with on the flight. The other was sleep. Reaching into the bag in front of her she pulled out her laptop, she was hell bent on not sleeping on any flight less than two hours. It was a rule written in stone. She had tried in the past and instead of getting a good nap, she would always drift off minutes before they landed and would be miserable for the rest of the day. Not today. Not if she could help it, and she could.

For several minutes she tried in vain to find something of interest on the machine but it just wasn't happening. The only other interesting thing on board was Wufei and he was patrolling the aisle looking menacing. It was somewhat comical considering there were only two other passengers on the flight. All of whom came with her from her office. Not exactly a threat but this was probably his way of not being bored.

Relena rubbed her eyes, it seemed like she was losing the battle, confirmed by her sigh which became a yawn. She didn't try to fight any longer. She surrendered to the feeling, made good use of the head rest behind her and closed her eyes. The average person glorified and even envied the so called jet set lifestyle. Everyday another trip, another destination. If only they knew how tiring it was, or maybe it was her job that made it tiring. Maybe it would be less tiring if it was for leisure. She made a mental note to test that theory. Visit all the destinations she usually did for work but for pleasure.

"Excuse me Ms. Relena, you have a call."

Relena opened her eyes to see one of her aids standing beside her with a vid phone. "Who is it?"

"Unknown caller Ma'am."

Unknown callers were a no-no unless first screened. It wasn't an official rule but a rule nonetheless. One everyone followed, which prompted her to cast a quizzical glance at her aid, who quickly countered. "Agent Chang has already approved it."

Relena sat up. "That's a first." Even after screening them he would reject all unknown calls just to make a point to the caller to make their identities known in the future. Her mind could only think of one person that wouldn't meet the same fate. And suddenly she was wide awake. She moved the laptop and set the phone down in front of her, unconsciously smoothing her hair and clothes before she answered. Until she knew the identity of the caller however she had to remain professional, she tried to squash her nerves and answer in her most diplomatic tone. "Relena Darlian."

"You could be a little more enthusiastic. I don't take time out to call just anyone."

The sound of Heero's voice warmed her all over. She often wondered at what age she would stop having the reaction. But then he wasn't the phone type, getting a call from Heero Yuy was special. So she surmised she'd have this reaction forever. Especially when he was off doing god knows what, it meant he was still alive.

Despite her giddiness she was still disappointed there was no video. "Maybe I would show more enthusiasm if I could see who was calling."

"It was the best I could do, this device doesn't allow for it."

The words ' _you're lying_ ' were on the tip of her tongue but she halted them. Now wasn't the time for an argument.

Cutting the silence he asked. "How are you?"

"Is that the princess bride?" Duo's voice sounded faint but still audible. Her brows knitted at the reference but she didn't ask. She shook her head and smiled genuinely even though they couldn't see. "Better, now. Where are you?"

"Earth."

Now she was really upset there was no video, then she'd be able to telegraph her annoyance without saying a word. "Then why aren't we having this conversation in person?"

He didn't miss a beat. "In person, there would be no conversation. Besides you left."

Heero wasn't the most talkative person that ever lived but every once in a while his conversational skills surpassed even her expectations. "Maybe I would've stayed if I knew you were coming. No matter I'll be back in a few hours and I will hold you to that."

"Stay safe Relena."

* * *

"Colonel."

"Staten." Une held the receiver with one hand while she rubbed her temple with the other. She had started to believe she was free from his constant inquiry and accusations. She was wrong.

"I just wanted to call to make sure there were no hard feelings about my call to the President. My concern is genuine and I hope we can work together to come up with a solution."

She rolled her eyes. Bullshit, all of it, but this was the dance known to all politicians. One she'd had to learn in order to be successful behind the desk of preventer chief. "I only wish you would have come to me directly. You say you want us to come up with a solution yet you went over my head."

"Yes, and for that I do apologize but we've been here before. I gave you a chance to deal with this, with them, had you been more proactive maybe I.B Med would still be standing."

She had no defence against this particular attack. His motives might have been suspect but facts were facts. Not one but two of her agents had been at the medical facility and from all reports they were procuring information illegally. If that wasn't bad enough the building then blew up. "I can't imagine my agents had anything to do with that." Nicholai started to speak but she didn't let him. "And I won't be entertaining any discussion that implies otherwise without evidence."

"Spoken like a true leader Colonel. I hope your trust isn't misplaced."

* * *

Une's secretary waved them into her office it would seem a little prematurely. The fearless leader of the Preventer Organisation had yet to wrap up her call when they entered. Lady Une offered them a weak smile while holding the receiver to her ear. Not much was said from her end of the line, the other party clearly had no qualms about monopolising the conversation. After a few more affirmatives Lady Une ended the call with a thank you.

She replaced the receiver and stood with a sharp exhale. "I'm sorry to have kept you."

Noin extended a hand to her superior. "Trouble?"

"I've just spent the last hour of my life assuring the president that we had nothing to do with the explosion on L2. Apparently he received several calls about two of our agents being on the premises at the time of the incident."

Sally cringed. She did them a favour and now she was left to face the firing squad alone. "I can explain."

Une held up a hand. "Let's wait for the others."

They didn't have to wait long. After a few minutes the door swung open to reveal Heero and Duo. Always one to make himself at home Duo dropped down into a chair. "Hey Noin, Zechs haven't seen you since we defeated the white fang."

No one in the room bothered to correct him, since they all knew that wasn't true. He just liked to rub Zechs' nose in it.

Une waved at Sally to continue. "You were saying…?"

"We were trying to find a connection, a clue to help –

"If you're talking about I.B Med," Heero interject. "It was my idea, Sally didn't know why we were there."

Une sat back in her chair. "And yet she went anyway, compounded further by the fact that you are suspended. Which essentially means neither of you had a right to be there."

Noin looked around the room slightly puzzled. It was obvious she and Zechs weren't on the same page as everyone else. "Why did the president call you?"

"He had to, Mr Staten has been very vocal about the incident and your alleged involvement, and this time instead of coming to me he went directly to the President himself. Both of whom are concerned about the," Une formed quotation marks with her index fingers. "Lack of discipline permeating throughout the organisation."

"Why do we even care what he thinks," Duo spat. "He's using his position to stay one step ahead while making you like incompetent. I say let's expose him and get it over with."

"Do you have any evidence….solid evidence as to his involvement in anything?" Une didn't wait for their reply she already knew the answer. "You have suspicions."

Duo stood. "Our suspicions are accurate."

Une remained seated. It took all her self-control not to mirror Duo's posture but he wasn't in charge here she was. She took a breath to calm herself and continued. "Meanwhile he has more than suspicions, he has indisputable proof of your reckless insubordination and that was before I.B Med blew up."

"Because they'd be so stupid as to demolish the building with themselves still inside?" Duo looked around the room. Why he was doing all the talking was a mystery, he was upset and he wasn't even the one in the explosion. "And while you sit here and point fingers at us, things are getting more and more out of hand."

Remaining calm and seated was no longer an option. Une stood and walked around the desk until she was face to face with Duo. "Mr. Maxwell, you of all people should have no objections. As a private citizen there's an entire list of things I can charge you with, obstruction being the most obvious. How do you accuse us of wasting time when the two of you have withheld this information for weeks? If anyone is to blame for things getting out of hand it is you."

"Listen here Lady, you think you're weeks behind. I've got news for you, you're years behind, fifteen years and counting. Don't blame us for your government's inefficiencies."

Sally and Noin erupted in unison. "Duo!?"

Duo turned on his heels. "This private citizen is going for a walk."

Noin stared at the door after it had closed. "What the hell was that?"

The headache that Une had previously tried to avoid in her conversation with Mr. Staten had returned with a vengeance. "As much as I loathe to admit it, Duo's right." Une watched as Noin's eyebrows shot up at the confession. There was so much still to tell. "Sally, Noin the two of you will be together for this. Noin I'm sorry I can't go into detail but I'm sure Sally will be able to answer any and all questions you may have."

"Yes, mam."

"I'll try."

"Heero, your gun and badge are waiting to be collected downstairs. I will take your retrieval as an agreement to do things _my_ way."

One nod of the head was all he gave in reply. Typical. She really should have brought him before a disciplinary committee or atleast insisted on some kind of apology. Instead he was being reinstated. In many ways Staten was right. She did allow them to essentially do as they please but if anyone had earned her trust it was these people right here and even the one that had left. Staten's last words rung in her ears. _"I hope your trust isn't misplaced."_ She could only hope so as well. This had the potential to blow up in all their faces.

Une looked up just in time to see Heero headed for the door. "And Heero, I'm holding you personally responsible for the actions of Duo as well as Trowa. Get them in line or I really will have them arrested. We can't have private citizens taking the law into their own hands. Today it's them, tomorrow it's a rebel group. We are being watched from all angles, we can't afford to give them any more ammunition.

"Yes Ma'am."

Two down, three to go. Une returned her attention to her remaining officers. "Sally, Noin you're free to go. Zechs I'd like a word with you in private."

* * *

Relena tried to avoid eye contact with anyone standing close by, she opted instead to watch the numbers change as the elevator made its descent. In all they were six people including herself and Wufei waiting for the lift and in a building such as this the elevators were large enough to carry twice that. Unfortunately that wasn't a statistic that would save them on this day.

Once the chime sounded and the elevator doors slid open Relena hung her head and stepped inside. She could hardly bear to watch what she knew was coming. In front of her Wufei stood in the door while one of his hands reached out to press the button for the eighth floor. Its light glowed red under the pressure. "My apologies, you'll have to get the next one." He took a few steps backward into the elevator, never taking his eyes away from the shocked faces of the others he just stranded.

"Must you do that? Don't you think if they wanted to hurt me they would've done it while we were I don't know, waiting for said elevator?"

"No,"

Relena sighed, atleast he had the decency to apologise. Using the mirrored interior to her advantage she pulled her fingers through her hair and adjusted her bangs. It took great effort not to notice Wufei looking at her in the glass but she tried, that is until it got over bearing. "What?"

"It's my job to watch you."

"Not literally."

"You're humming."

"I'm sorry," She hadn't even realised until he brought it to her attention. "Does that bother you?"

"You never hum."

Relena gave him a blank stare as she tried to validate that statement. "That can't be true."

"I've been with you for a while, I've never heard you hum."

The smirk on his face telegraphed his thoughts loud and clear. Damn her body's chemical reactions. She couldn't stop the blush she knew was staining her cheeks. "You probably just weren't paying attention."

He glanced at her sideways. "Right, that's it. My lack of attentiveness."

Relena turned red cheeks away from him, grateful when the elevator chimed to signal its arrival on their floor. She made a hasty exit, quick to shake off the tinge of self-consciousness that appeared thanks to Wufei's observations. Yes, she was happy and nothing or no one was going to ruin it.

* * *

"What did she say?" The question came before Heero had even closed the driver's side door. Duo had apparently opted to sit in his car rather than go for a walk.

"Arrest you if you get on my nerves."

"Did she actually say that?"

"Close enough."

Duo shrugged. "Well while you were busy having your collar readjusted, I was taking a call from our friend Trowa." Duo placed the call on speaker before he shared some of the conversation with Heero. "He's in Lisbon. Get this, at college."

A soft laugh was heard through the speaker. "Turns out Henley is a professor of engineering."

Duo crossed his hands behind his head. "Parties, beer and girls. You should have told me I would've tagged along with you instead."

"Nothing interesting has happened here Duo. I haven't spoken to him yet. Decided to make a few observations first. See if anyone familiar comes around."

"I'd go to college in a second if it wasn't for the books."

Heero took the reins of the conversation away from Duo. "How'd you find him?"

"The information Dr S gave me was general. The country, his age things like that but that information coupled with Wufei's preventer clearance provided much more specific details. The preventers has quite the database."

Duo, didn't like the sound of that at all. "I don't understand. Why would the preventers be cataloguing these people?"

Heero offered an explanation. "People who were a part of the war, who aren't considered an immediate threat but who still have the capability to be are entered as a precaution. People like you and Trowa."

Trowa laughed. "But not you?"

"You forget, I'm a preventer."

Duo scoffed. "Right, so instead of throwing these people in jail they set them free to continue their work."

"Brilliant minds are indispensable."

Duo glared at the speaker as if it was the one doing the talking. "To whom?"

"Anyone who can afford to pay them." Heero replied.

Duo scratched his head. Something didn't add up. Maybe he had missed something. "Wait, if that's true how is it we can't find J and the other one?"

"Theirs were the first I checked, couldn't find them. Doubt they would've signed up for the registry."

Duo glanced at Heero, a wry smile on his face. "Don't you have to report this to the woman upstairs?" But Heero didn't reply. He instead turned on the engine and drove away from the building.

Duo shook his head at his friend. "You just haven't learned how to follow orders."

"Something you should be grateful for."

"Speaking of," Trowa's voice came through once more. "Une told me to keep my nose clean or I'd have to answer to you."

"When did you talk to her?" Heero asked.

"She called me."

"Personally?" Duo's voice rose considerably higher than its usual pitch.

"Yeah, anyway I'll keep you posted."

The call was disconnected before Duo could press for more. For some reason he found it unsettling that Une would call Trowa personally. Especially since he didn't even get a card. "That's just disgusting."

"What?"

Duo's nose crinkled in disgust. "The fact that Une called him personally."

"Why?"

"That's like finding out your mother calls your best friend behind your back. Like what the hell do they have to talk about? You know he had a thing for her right?"

"I don't care."

"Like hell. Maybe she has a clown fetish, made him her man slave."

Heero sighed. Being alone in a moving vehicle with Duo while he ranted about other people's sex lives wasn't his idea of fun. He could only hope that if he kept silent Duo would give up. Unfortunately it didn't work and Duo continued. "Wonder if she's like a l.i.l.f."

Heero took his eyes off the road just long enough to throw a look to his passenger.

Duo for his part was shocked that Heero didn't understand the acronym. "You know, a lieutenant I'd like to fuck. He nodded to himself as he answered his own question. "Yup that's definitely what it is."

"Technically she's a Colonel, not a lieutenant."

Duo slapped his face with his palm. "Lieutenant, colonel, lieutenant colonel, who cares. She's a woman in a uniform and as guys we have a duty to make a list. So who's on your l.i.l.f list and don't tell me you don't have one. Sally, Noin, not Une please not Une by the looks of it she's taken already." Duo slapped Heero on the shoulder. "Oh, how about that partner you had last year. Camden. She scares me, I'd like to see the man brave enough to try that."

"You'd look but you'd never find him."

The two exchanged glances before realisation dawned on Duo's face. "Should've known, she eats more than I do. Soooooooooo who's on your list. Mine is Noin."

Heero chuckled. "You get that she's basically just an older version of Hilde."

"No way." Duo looked distraught that he would even compare the two. "They are so different. "

"Right."

"I've told you mine now tell me yours." Duo propped his hand in the window, tapping his fingers as he did. "I'm waiting…."

Heero smirks, "Hilde."

Duo shot up in his chair. "The only reason I'm not giving you a piece of my mind is because you're driving." He slumped back in his seat, a pout on his lips. "Besides she never made it to lieutenant."

"Too bad."

The car was shrouded in silence for the remainder or the ride. Heero smiled, had he known that was all it took he would have answered at the first time of asking.

* * *

"Would you like to have a seat?" Une waved her hands at the vacant chairs around her office.

"No, thank you."

At Milliardo's refusal she walked over to her desk and poured a glass of water. "How did we end up here?"

Zechs made no attempt to answer, it was obvious that she was thinking out loud. He watched as she took a slow sip of water, it was as if she was unsure how to broach the subject. Which was very unlike her. It immediately made him wary.

"You are the Peacecraft heir, what did you find out about your family over the years?"

"I know all there is to know."

"Is that so?" She set down the glass and looked directly into his eyes. "During our time together Treize confided in me quite a bit, not only about himself but also about you."

"When people think you're dead they tend to be forthcoming about things they probably wouldn't say otherwise."

Une arched a brow. "Care to elaborate?"

"After joining OZ different parts of the puzzle began to appear. After becoming friends with Treize he seemed compelled to tell me bits and pieces, just enough to plant the seed so I would start looking for myself but never the full story. Maybe he assumed I wouldn't be able to handle it coming from someone else. That it might be easier to digest if I uncovered it on my own. Needless to say most of it didn't make any sense, at first. But my position gave me access to information and people, none of whom knew my real identity. After the initial denial wore off it all made perfect sense."

Zechs thought about the fragmented memories he had of his life in Sanq which had evolved as he got older. His mind filled in the blanks with things that made sense to him considering all he was told, the way history was written. Those memories were subsequently shattered and replaced by the truth which he had come to know. "The easiest way to conquer people is to relieve them of their weapons. What better way to do that than by promoting total pacifism."

Une nodded knowingly. Truth was coming to light and everything that once seemed right was now all wrong. It was like living in an alternate reality where good was bad and vice versa. Total pacifism, something that gave people hope and the promise of a better future was manipulated and used as a tool for mass control. A web beautifully weaved that even to this day only a handful of people knew the real motivation behind the movement. One of whom was the heir to the throne. As he stood talking about it Une couldn't help but notice Zechs' detachment from the story. Not the emotion one would expect from a man basically admitting his life was a lie. "If you already knew this why did you join the white fang, were you just completing your father's work?"

"That was just an ironic twist of fate, one that didn't escape me. I didn't realise until after I joined that Quinze thought I was being the dutiful son and completing what my family had started years earlier. In reality I was just blinded by hatred. I blamed everyone and I wanted to punish everyone, as misguided at that may seem."

"Despite that you are still fighting for peace?"

"Peace and total pacifism aren't as synonymous as people make them out to be, even Relena has come to realise that."

"Have you shared this with the other Peacecraft heir?"

"I didn't see the need."

Silence stretched between them for several minutes. Une stared down at the glass she had just used, her finger circled the rim as she allowed his words to sink in. She wasn't sure what she was going to hear once she had posed the question to him and she wasn't sure how she felt about the response.

"Why am I here?" She looked up to see blue eyes staring at her. _Zechs_ , his powers of perception were still intact.

"The past is haunting us all I don't know if we will be able to escape it this time. I meant what I said before people are watching, there are rumours going around rumours not in our favour. If for any reason I should have to resign I couldn't think of a better replacement."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Thank you for the words of encouragement. This story is taxing on my little brain lol but I will try to stay with it, I really will.

* * *

Being an early riser Relena was well used to being the first awake in her household, the only people who ruined her record were her adoptive father and the insomniac Heero Yuy. Today it seemed she was about to reclaim her title. Usually the sound of her hair rustling against the sheets was all it took to wake him from what could never be considered sleep. No one slept that lightly. She had day dreams deeper than his so called sleep but it was almost 5:30 and Heero, to her amazement, still hadn't stirred. It was then she made the decision to make them both a cup of coffee.

With great care she picked up both mugs from the counter and padded lightly back to her room. The warmth of the cups was a direct contrast to the slight chill she felt everywhere else. The blue silk fabric of her night gown did nothing to retain heat, despite the fact that it fell to her ankles. Worse yet it wasn't even her favourite dress and by no means her favourite colour.

Her lips tipped into a wry smile, it was just another one of those small sacrifices that a woman makes or that she made. For whatever reason Heero absolutely loved it. She had tried to coax him into favouring others by buying a few in different colours and styles and parading around the house. She had actually thought she had succeeded until one day he had asked about the blue one. She had sworn up and down that it couldn't fit anymore and had felt guilty about lying. That is, until he had taken a trip and came back with a 'gift'. A perfect replica. She knew because she checked the tag, it was the same. So what if her eyes were blue, didn't mean she had to like the colour. No one understood.

Still she wore it, because he liked it.

Once inside the bedroom, she found herself peeking around corners sure that he would be awake, but the motionless form in bed reassured her he was still asleep. Relena held her breath as she placed the cups on the night stand. Gingerly she climbed back into bed, stopping ever so often to see if her movement had disturbed him.

Using her hand to prop her head she lied on her side and watched him. He looked so peaceful. Her fingers brushed his bangs in what must have been a reflex action because she didn't remember giving them the order, and she definitely didn't tell them to trace a line down his nose.

"You're hovering." The reflexes that reached out to touch him weren't fast enough to retract before he grabbed her wrist. His eyes, barely opened still held all their intensity.

"I'm admiring." She whispered into his cheek before she brushed her lips against it. "Good morning."

He smiled and nodded. He never uttered the words and she never asked him why. Maybe it was too domestic but phrases like 'good morning, goodnight, what are you having for breakfast?' did not reside in his vocabulary. To her delight though what he didn't say in word could and would be said in action. Even now as he held her cheek to keep her in place and kissed her. If this was his version of good morning she was not about to complain.

The hand that propped her head gave way under his weight as he leaned into her. Automatically it snaked behind his neck, the other encircled his waist pulling him deeper into the kiss. Her body shivered involuntarily as the cool silk glided against her skin as he pushed the fabric up her thighs pooling the gown around her waist. All logical thought was gone, her body was on autopilot reacting to everything he did to it. She gasped, her focus divided between the feel of his teeth on her neck and the hand between her thighs. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip; it was a struggle to breathe. It wasn't until his hand retreated from her centre to her waist did air enter her lungs. Quickly robbed of air again when she felt the smooth, slow glide of his body into her.

* * *

The second time Relena woke up she was alone. She disentangled herself from the sheet and headed for the shower, slowly. Did she have anything to do today? Probably. Did she want to do anything today? Absolutely not. Nothing work related. Unfortunately the world wasn't going to stop spinning for her.

After a long shower, she took her time getting ready for work, she still had to wait for Wufei who had left last night amid grumbles of her not needing so much protection. Which she was sure was just a cover, of course Wufei would never admit to doing anyone any favours.

With every hair in place and make up complete Relena went in search of another cup of coffee. She didn't get very far. One was already waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, hand delivered by a shirtless, rather handsome barista.

"Thank you."

Another silent nod because you're welcome was also on that list of things rarely said. Relena sighed contentedly, this was a beautiful way to start the day. The buzzer at the front door snapped her back to reality but neither of them moved to answer. It wasn't necessary. The buzzer sounded whenever an access code was entered, a different sound if it was entered incorrectly.

Wufei opened the door, stopping in the entrance as his eyes fell on Heero, a mild grimace on his face. "You're still here?"

Heero grunted. "Obviously."

"Well, I'm on duty so please, no kissing, no groping and no nudity while I'm on the premises." Wufei's gaze swept over Heero. "Yuy, put a shirt on."

Never one to give away an emotional reaction Heero simply looked at Wufei before heading back to the kitchen. He might as well had told Heero to strip, because that order was not going to be followed. Just because. Relena looked on with slight amusement, it was a wonder that they were friends. She'd hate to see how they would react to each other if they were enemies. Having the two of them under the same roof, however briefly, was definitely going to be interesting.

* * *

By ten thirty Relena was still at home. This was turning out to be a record setting day, now she was the latest she had ever been for work. She was standing in the foyer tapping her foot annoyed at her tardiness when her phone buzzed. Noin. Noin? Initial shock gone, Relena quickly answered. This conversation was long overdue. She walked back to her room as the conversation started. The view out of her bedroom window provided the perfect back drop as she and Noin exchanged stories and anecdotes of everything that happened in their lives since they last spoke. It was different to have a conversation where the other person talked back with enthusiasm and humour…. and laughed.

By the time the conversation ended though that jovial feeling was gone. Noin hadn't said anything that should cause her to be suspicious but that in itself made her suspicious. Was she supposed to believe they just came to earth for the change of scenery?

"What's wrong?"

Relena turned to see Heero standing behind her, buttoning his uniform shirt. "Maybe I should ask you."

The statement didn't faze him. He tucked the shirt into his pants and reached for the jacket on the bed. A wall, this was her life with him. Scaling walls of all kinds but she was always up to the task. She walked to him arms folded over her chest. "Is everything alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I can't think of many things that would make both you and my brother land on earth on the same day, and the few I can think of aren't good."

He slipped on the jacket, his eyes holding hers. "You worry too much."

She laughed "Nice try. Tell me."

The wall remained.

Relena sighed. "You get that it's my job to know these things."

Heero took a step toward her, his hand finding the back of her neck to tilt her head forward just enough to plant a kiss on her head. "And it's my job to protect you." Grabbing his keys from the dresser he paused in the threshold of the door before turning to look at her. "Try not to do anything…impulsive."

That statement, his tone, it made her bristle. "Like what?"

"Like impromptu meetings with ….questionable characters."

That traitor. Relena couldn't decide if to be annoyed or amused at the fact that Wufei had told on her. Was this kindergarten? She snapped her mouth close when she realised Heero was smiling at her shocked expression. She regained her composure, marching past him in renewed defiance. So much so that she made it to the front door before he did. Wufei was already there, waiting. Relena stomped over to him, their faces the closest they've ever been and she noted the curious expression on Wufei's face. "I can't believe you told on me."

His curiosity turned to amusement and he smiled. "Maybe now you'll think twice about doing anything stupid."

* * *

Trowa walked leisurely around the college campus trying without much effort to fit in. He was a chameleon but this had to be by far the easiest infiltration he would ever execute. If fitting in was all that was at stake he would already have to call this a huge success, if the numbers he had gotten were any indication. It hadn't even been a full forty eight hours and he had accumulated five call mes, but who was counting.

As he walked around he couldn't help but feel like colours just seemed brighter here. The sun, the grass, the clothes. Post card status. He was out of place. This setting, this place, held the hopes and dreams of young adults. Some struggling to make it on their own, others sent by loving parents, all planning for the future. A painful juxtaposition to why he was here. He shook his head bitterly; it must take a special kind of sociopath to teach the next generation all the while plotting to end it.

* * *

The first time he had laid eyes on the Doctor he had been surprised by how young he was. Tall, slightly round, hair much the same colour of Quatre's with brown eyes framed by square spectacles. Not a grey hair, wrinkle or any other characteristic one would expect. Of course no one would have imagined that the gundam pilots were teenagers at the time. Age was nothing but a number. His second surprise that wasn't surprising at all, just an ah-ha moment came when he realised under which field of engineering the Dr. taught. Bio-medical engineering. He'd had to stop himself from laughing out loud.

The lecture hall for this particular class was small, unlike the other two he had observed, the Dr. was clearly in high demand. As the class neared the hour mark, Trowa had to admit the class was thoroughly entertaining. Even without in-depth knowledge about the topic he could see why the real students would be interested and why Dr. Henley was commissioned by the others. Another half hour and the class was nearing completion. Trowa watched as students filed out of the room, some lingered behind to exchange words with the doctor. It didn't matter to him, unlike the rest of them he didn't have another class to get to. So he waited.

Trowa stepped out from behind his desk once the door closed behind the last student, walking toward the long wooden desk in the front. "Intriguing class."

Dr. Henley looked up only briefly before returning to his notes. "I'm glad you liked it, though, I'm surprised. I would figure a man such as yourself would be much more interested in," He looked up to meet Trowa's eye. "Mechanical engineering."

During the classes Trowa got the distinct impression that the doctor had recognised him, but he couldn't be sure if it was recognition or just curiosity for a face he'd never seen before. Now he had his answer.

"Tell me," Henley leaned back in his chair, pushing his glasses down to the tip of his nose. "How is Doctor S?"

"I think we both know the answer to that."

"Well I can't say I'll miss him. I doubt you will either."

Trowa ground his teeth in frustration. Doctor S was right. This man wasn't remorseful. He had hoped that the trend of regret and guilt would have continued and this man like the two previous would have caved and told all he knew. He could see now that was not going to happen.

"Let me tell you now, you're wasting your time. I have no intention of making any….confessions." With a slow exhale the Doctor removed his glasses completely before rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Though I can't think of anything I'd like to repent. I haven't committed any sins lately. So I parked in the handy cap space. That's not exactly a crime now is it?"

The smile Henley wore was smug, twisted and irritating. Contrary to popular belief, fuelled by war stories about the gundam pilots, Trowa was not a man prone to violence but even he had his limits and this was testing all of them.

A flurry of commotion disrupted the charged atmosphere as a crowd of eager students pushed through the doors for another class. Chatter buzzed around them eliciting a triumphant grin from the man behind the desk. Trowa forced his muscles to move, he needed a different approach and this wasn't the place to do it.

* * *

Trowa didn't try to interact with the Doctor for the rest of the day. As long as he was in the middle of campus surrounded by innocent bystanders and potential witnesses he would always be at a disadvantage. He needed a distraction, something to ease his growing anger lest he do something he would regret.

He found one of the computer labs on campus. It shined and gleamed with the latest of technology. School definitely had its perks. As usual he chose a system in the back of the room, which was mostly empty. Still he couldn't be too careful. Periodically, his eyes scanned the room studying the back of the heads of the few present before darting to the door. He sighed. ' _Relax Trowa.'_ He tried to shake off his unease before the call connected, worry was not the point of the conversation and that is exactly what he would accomplish if he didn't calm himself.

"Trowa!"

His sister beamed at him. He smiled. Despite his age she still greeted him like he was a toddler. Ever exuberant. He just sat back and allowed her to ramble and ramble she did. Somewhere in there she had found the time to yell for Ivy. Now it was a ramble times two. He couldn't think of a better way to relax.

* * *

It was dark out, still the streets were lively, well lit. Each street had a bar, a café, restaurant or a combination of each. College town. The atmosphere was contagious even to a well-trained soldier like himself. Trowa took his time meandering the streets, occasionally stopping to engage in idle chatter with students he recognised from the classes he had attended, gleaning information about Henley as best he could. It was useless, they all thought he was god's gift to the field, singing his praises every chance they got. It wasn't all for naught, he was wasting time on purpose.

He doubted anyone even noticed when he slunk away. His apartment was just on the outskirts of the vibrancy surrounding the college. In this part, there was less light, less activity. Everyone seemed much more content to be in bed by eight. So at eleven thirty he didn't have to worry about running into neighbours and the only other sign of life was the chirps echoing around him. He left early and returned late, made it less likely that his neighbours would be able to identify him should anything happen.

As he approached the building, Trowa looked at the window of his room. He usually kept a lamp on at all times. From the outside it would cast a shadow to anything or anyone that moved. With the door of the building in sight Trowa reached into his pocket to retrieve his key. He only ever carried one per chain, he couldn't count the number of times he was alerted to someone's presence just at the sound of the keys jingling in their hand. As he turned the key in the lock, his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket which he ignored until he had opened the door. "Trowa."

"You are in danger."

Trowa pulled the phone from his ear to look at the display, something he neglected to do before he answered since many people didn't have the number. _Unknown caller_ and the voice was unrecognizable. He was tempted to hang up but whoever it was would have gone to great lengths to reach him. "Who is this?"

"You are in danger."

He kept the phone to his ear as he tried to note any distinguishable sounds either in the person's voice or background. But the only thing he heard was the click of a terminated call. The silence which he found calming was now deafening. His senses were on full alert. His heart rate came a few beats faster. He didn't believe in prank calls and despite anything to substantiate the warning he couldn't help but heed it. Especially now.

Trowa looked up the flight of stairs before him, grateful now that he was on the second floor. He took each step with the ball of his feet until he came to his door, reducing any sound his heels might make on the stone floor. Sliding the key into the lock, he watched the bottom of the door for any change in light distribution or movement. When he saw none he pushed the door open and waited. His eyes narrowed, as they landed on a small box in the middle of the room. It wasn't his and it was definitely out of place.

His bag dropped from his shoulder as he took a few steps into the room. He stopped abruptly, a few strides short of the box. It was the oldest trick in the book. The sensation creeping up his back told him he had fallen for it. He wasn't alone. A shadow in his peripheral vision caught his eye. He turned in time to see the fist hurling toward him but not in time to stop it.

Before he could react the full weight of the intruder was on him, pushing him into the wall as they drove fist after fist into his side. Trowa pushed his palm into the wall, using it for momentum. He dove forward, the sudden and unexpected force causing both men to fall to the floor. He landed on top of his attacker. He grabbed the man's collar unleashing his own barrage to the man's face.

The scuffle continued as the two traded places on the floor. Muffled grunts and curses, displaced furniture and shattered glass disturbed the silence. Trowa made a mental note of the intruder, he wore no mask, but his identity was a mystery. The only clue it provided was the fact that he wasn't supposed to make it out alive. Whoever he was, he was strong and determined. He struggled for all he was worth to escape from beneath Trowa's body. When he did, the two scrambled to their feet. Hunched over bloodied, they eyed each other waiting for the other to make a move.

The man, his short hair mussed, smiled. The red stain on his teeth added to the sadistic twist of his lips. He lunged.

Trowa braced himself for the impact, his eyes fixed on the target. His brain analysed the movement of the man's body trying to anticipate what he was going to do next. It was a split second before they were in range of each other again. A split second for him to register the late move of the man's hand behind his back. A second too late for him to stop the blade from piercing his side.

Trowa's hand went instinctively to the wound. He didn't have time to think about it. He had seen his own blood before and that of enemies. He caught the hand which held the knife and used his ever weakening strength to push his attacker to the side. He didn't need that much space, he just needed enough time to reach the bag on the floor.

Trowa lunged for the bag, behind him he could hear the man's steps coming toward him. He pulled his gun from the bag rolling onto his back as a shadow enveloped him. He squeezed the trigger twice. The knife fell first, the metal hitting the floor with a clink, followed by the louder thud of the man's body.

Trowa laid his head back, his breaths becoming more laboured as blood continued to seep from his wound. He forced himself to stand. The neighbours might not have heard the scuffle but they would have definitely heard the gunshots. He needed to leave and leave now.

He made it to street light at the corner of the street in front of the building. His vision began to blur and he wasn't sure if he was going to make it to anything resembling help. His body sagged against the metal pole and his brain struggled for coherent thought when a hand touched his shoulder. If it was an enemy he wouldn't have the energy to fight. The voice asked him if he needed help, and of course he did but he didn't like it. This person had impeccable timing, at this time of night who on earth was out here?

In his haze he was aware that his help came in the form of a woman, but she too was a mystery and he couldn't help but think of the call he had received. He allowed the woman to usher him into a car. As they drove he couldn't help but wonder if this was perhaps his last day, his call home now held deeper meaning.

* * *

Consciousness returned to Trowa's body, painfully. Bright lights shone through his closed lids pulling him faster back to reality. He was alive; he opened his eyes and sat up as best he could. And in the hospital. The wound to his side was no longer bleeding. Instead, as he brushed his fingers against it, he was greeted with the soft padding of a dressing but his elation of being alive was short lived.

He cursed himself, his sloppiness. He might as well be just another college student. His actions were not one of a seasoned veteran. Getting stabbed was one thing, but he fell unconscious which meant he lost time. Worse, he left everything at the scene. He went over a list of what the authorities might be able to link to him. His phone, a burner, the room was registered under an alias. The only thing he could think of was the gun, his bag carried nothing else of value. He needed to leave but first he needed to change.

On his way out the door Trowa removed a duffel bag from the floor beside a sleeping patient, one who was thankfully close to his age and size. Hopefully the guy didn't have anything vital in it. In the bathroom he rummaged inside the contents until he found something that was decent enough to wear. Not only was he stealing but he was also judging. Karma was going to be a bitch.

Once changed he headed toward the nurses station. Not that he needed to check out but something was gnawing at him. As he approached he could see the nurse's face change, her hands went to her hips. "Where are you going?"

Thanks to her response he didn't have to ask if she was there when he came in. "I'm sorry I just wanted to know, what happened to the woman that brought me in?"

The nurse relaxed her posture and smiled. "She left, I asked her if she wanted to stay with you. I assumed she was family but she said she didn't know you and left. Just a good Samaritan I suppose."

Even more suspicious but he smiled not wanting to make the nurse uneasy. "Thank you." He gave the nurse one last smile then turned to leave. This was not how he had planned his day or this trip. He walked idly to the stairs, when the dull ache of his side prompted him to take the elevators. He was still slightly groggy from whatever they gave him and he didn't feel like making the extra effort to take the stairs.

He walked slowly toward the metallic double doors. He wasn't in any hurry, not anymore. He pushed the button to summon the lift and waited. Resting his back on the wall he replayed the events of the night. The voice in his head reminded him of every mistake, highlighted everything he should have done differently when a sharp high pitched sound interrupted his self-abasement. He looked up to the elevator but it hadn't yet arrived. The sound repeated, this time louder. He turned in its direction and was greeted by an image in a glass. It was like looking into a distorting mirror but even with the distortion the object was recognizable. Long wavy white hair, two black circles where the eyes should be and that tell-tale metal claw raised to his face.

Trowa watched the claw open and close, creating the sound that he heard just seconds earlier. And he knew.

"Doctor J."

* * *

A/N

So in case you were wondering about that scene between Heero and Relena or if you thought it ended kinda abruptly it's because it did. I was writing and writing, then I was like wait….this is a T-rated fiction. So yeah, had to throw some cold water on it. Hope you still enjoy it.

:)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A/ N:

So The spy who loves me, I think I only have one chapter left of that to write but to be honest with you I don't know when that will happen. I don't think I will wait until this is finished because I don't know when this will finish. Maybe you would have noticed that when I started The Spy who loves me I stopped updating this one and that was because I had hit a wall. I knew what I wanted to say and where I wanted to go but the words just wouldn't come to me. So I took a break and started something fresh. But now I am kinda in a groove and I don't want to break it.

I'm not a professional writer but I try to give my stories different voices and tones. As you know when you read different stories from a writer there are elements which will be noticeable it's like a finger print. Still you don't want to feel like you're writing or reading the same story just with different titles. The spy who loves me is a lot more light-hearted, more humorous in tone while the characters are younger. While Trust is much deeper, more mature and complicated and honestly it's very difficult for me to switch between the two because I want to keep both true to themselves and not blur the lines.

Either that or I'm just lazy as fck. :)

If you pester me about it enough Ash I probably will give into peer pressure though ^_^

In other news:

I have changed the rating on this one, maybe should've done it sooner? Lol like last chapter?

Dark themes ahead.

* * *

Trowa blinked, slowly. He wanted to trust his eyes, his instincts but some part of him was still unsure. He closed the distance between himself and the apparition, squinting his eyes as he moved forward in an attempt to bring the image into focus. It was him he was sure of it. He had never thought of how he would feel or what he would even say or do in this situation. He wanted to stop them of course but oddly enough he had never thought he would see him face to face. Not like this.

"Hello Trowa."

Despite his assumptions as to the identity of the person behind the mirror Trowa's eyes still widened at the greeting, his stomach still turned. The voice was cryptic and old. It grated over his eardrums like nails on a chalkboard.

It shouldn't be this easy. He had gone through an entire war only being in this man's presence once. Had he known then what he knew now he would've let him rot in that cell. He had helped them, shared information with them at a time when he thought they were on the same side. Just thinking about it enraged him. Now here they were in the same hospital on a night when someone had tried to kill him. Coincidence was something he had learned not to believe in when it came to these men.

Trowa reached into the waist of his jeans but his hand came up empty. The absence of the weapon he would usually have on his person was another reminder of his carelessness. He tried to steel his features against the disappointment, there was no reason to give this man the satisfaction. "You tried to have me killed?"

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me. As much as you would like to blame me for every wrong ever done on this planet I can assure you I wasn't the one who tried to kill you."

An assurance. How comical and insulting yet at the same time strangely believable. "If not you, who?"

The doctor's metal appendage stroked his beard. "That's a difficult question Trowa. A man like yourself must surely have a long list of enemies."

And he was looking at one of them. A very confident one at that. The doctor was taunting him with a steady and even friendly tone of voice. This was not a man concerned by his presence or even his next move. They were in control, they were holding all the cards and the doctor knew it; was deriving great pleasure from it, all at his expense.

Trowa assessed the glass which separated them, it didn't look that thick and he had to wonder how much force it would take to break it. If only he had his gun. A quick sweep of the corridor showed nothing that he could think to use.

Dr J chuckled his amusement. "It must burn you to be this close and still be so far."

One man should not have to endure this level of torture. Henley and his smugness, being attacked, now this deranged psychopath. He took a step back from the glass and darted down the corridor. There wasn't anything within reach of his position but there was a fire extinguisher close to the nurses' station.

The concerned faces of patients and staff were all a blur as he ran back to confront the barrier. Only this time when he looked into the glass instead of seeing the Doctor he saw himself. Pent up frustration reached the boiling point and he threw the heavy object into the translucent glass, a pained yell following close behind. It was useless. Adding insult to injury the glass hadn't broken. The only thing he did accomplish was scaring the nurses and patients.

When uniformed hospital security appeared on either side of him he didn't struggle. He did however refuse to meet the judgemental eyes of lookers on as he was escorted from the building. If he wasn't careful, the next time he woke up in the hospital it would be for the mentally challenged. It seemed that once again he had fallen victim to the gundam pilot's curse. A term he himself had coined after the stupefying realisation that he and his comrades always seemed to find themselves on the wrong side of the law despite their best intentions. It had to be a curse, no one was that unlucky. The guards walked him to the automatic doors of the hospital but stopped short of physically throwing him out. He had atleast been given the dignity of walking out of his own accord.

Trowa's body fought to acclimatise to the cold air which greeted it. Despite being in an air conditioned hospital he was unprepared for the chill that greeted him once outside. It was still dark out, for some reason he had assumed he was in another day. It maybe was a blessing in disguise. Maybe he still had time to go back to his apartment. It was a long shot, an extremely long shot. The first thing people usually did when they heard anything resembling gunshots was call the police. Even if it turned out to be fireworks. As unlikely as it was that the police hadn't already been summoned he still felt compelled to go back to the scene if just to correct his mistakes.

Trowa walked without aim or direction around the hospital parking lot. Somewhere out here there was a sign with his name on it, or a car. He didn't like the idea of stealing twice in the same night but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Darkness shrouded most of the lot, the few lamp poles were so widely spaced the little light they projected was negligible. The only exception was dead centre. A massive clock tower shone brightly, illuminating itself and several meters of space around it. He focused his eyes on the face of the clock. Devil's hour. How appropriate. Atleast now he knew the time.

He continued to search for a way home staying as close to the shadowed areas as possible. In a dark corner there was a black hatch back. By default, it had won the contest to take him away from here. Its location was perfect for theft and he was sure if he didn't do it some other thief would.

His hands at either side of his face Trowa peered into the driver side window and was instantly dejected. A baby seat complete with stuffed toys and a bottle sat in the back. He sighed. He was not about to steal from a baby. He pushed away from the vehicle and continued to roam. Wind whirled about him causing his skin to erupt involuntarily. His body was fatigued and his clothes simply prevented him from being naked. He looked down at his attire. The shirt he had borrowed wasn't the thickest material he'd ever seen and his jacket was m.i.a. If it wasn't for the fact that he had survived his ordeal this would be a top contender for the worst night of his life. Even with the fact that he had survived it was still high on the list.

Trowa gave his tired body rest on a nearby bench. He was tempted to lie back but falling asleep was an inevitability if he dared made himself comfortable. From his position he stared at the huge building before him. Somewhere behind those white walls was Dr. J. He was so close yet so helpless. His hands roamed the inside of his pockets until he remembered, one these weren't his clothes and two, he had no phone. He needed to reach the others. There was no telling when they would ever get an opportunity like this again. He swore and swore some more. He had no phone, no method of communication, no weapon, nothing. The only thing he had at this point was life. And a bicycle.

The word surprised him like it hadn't been his own thoughts until he realised why the thought came to him. There propped on a rail in front of him was a bicycle. A delirious laugh erupted from his chest. He was on the brink of a nervous breakdown and this bicycle was his lifeline to sanity. Riding a bicycle in his condition wasn't going to be a pleasant experience but he would have to cope.

* * *

Sex and alcohol. The aroma hung in the air, escaping from every pore of naked flesh. Nicolai stared idly into the ceiling, the black Victorian chandelier in the centre drew his attention like a moth. He needed a focal point, something he could use to centre himself and hopefully calm down before restlessness got the better of him. His body was languid, his mind in overdrive. Trowa had escaped. When his phone had rung earlier he had expected to be told the job was complete instead the incompetent fool had failed. The news had infuriated him, every cell in his body boiled. He had wanted to break something.

Even the feel of a beautiful woman hadn't been enough to pacify him and he had tried, several times, mercilessly. And every time she had surrendered to it, begged for it. Her only goal was his satisfaction even if it meant being subjected to his twisted perversions.

Nicholai continued to stare at the ceiling until the first trickle of tears formed in the corners of his eyes. The physical release his body had enjoyed had done little to quell his rage. Her cries of pain had coincided with his moans of pleasure. The sounds and smells of the evening had excited him in the way an injured seal would a shark.

He gave his eyes a reprieve as he looked at his phone on the night stand beside him. It was after three in the morning, by now his medication was beginning to wane. They were the glue which kept his façade together. A beautiful blend of psychotropic drugs that kept his demons at bay. But that dam was breaking.

Nicholai rolled to his side to eye his sleeping companion. Soft mounds of flesh puckered in the cold air, entwined twins partially visible on the right side of her stomach while the rest of the constellation was hidden under the black satin sheet. Side by side the dark colour exaggerated the overly red hue of her knees which hadn't fully recovered from the night's activities. His eyes dragged lazily over every inch. Something was off. With a swift, fluid movement of his hand he pushed the offending object back into place. She was a blonde and her golden locks threatened to escape from their synthetic brunette prison. He preferred his women brunette and his women obliged. The wig was no longer in an accurate position but that wasn't the issue. He just didn't want to see the blonde.

Satisfied that her hair was secured his fingers slid down to her bare neck, long and slender. His eyes fixated on it, fingers encircled it. He could snap her neck and no one would care. She was a tool, something to be used for his pleasure. His thumb pressed harder into the hollow just above her décolletage. It would be so easy-

Nicholai jumped to his feet and away from temptation. His body bare and slick with sweat despite the hour and temperature. He was panting, shaking. He needed to relax. He looked intently to the bathroom, he was mere steps away from sanity if that was what he wanted. The truth was he got tired of being sedated, got tired of being put together. He wanted to give in to his other side. It was when he felt most alive, most like himself. He enjoyed, revelled in the emotion coursing through him and he wasn't ready to end it.

He walked over to and sat in one of two chrome chairs strategically placed to appreciate the view of the skyline. Tonight, though there was nothing to appreciate. Thick black drapes obstructed his view and he was in no mood to open them. On the table in front of him sat his unfinished glass of bourbon. He refilled the glass before emptying the contents. Then repeated the action. His body still shook although he wasn't cold. His body was shaking in anticipation.

He couldn't stay still he stood and sat several times. There was disequilibrium in his brain, the pull of the drugs still in his system verses the push of instinct. One was going to lose, eventually. Each breath his companion took taunted him, reminded him she was still alive and the urge to change that was building.

His hand slammed into the wall, the muscle in his jaw tight. A distraction is what he needed. Even though pointless. He knew what he wanted to do, knew it was just a matter of time unless he took another round of drugs. He was fooling himself by thinking a distraction would help. He knew better but knowing was nowhere close to being half the battle.

With more force than necessary he pulled open the heavy drapes to reveal the sparkle of city lights. Pushing open the sliding glass doors he allowed the cold to assault every part of his person. His body stilled and his breaths quietened but there was still an edge.

Sitting beside the bottle of bourbon was a gold case, its surface rough with embellishments and carvings. He reached for it. Inside lay the brown cylinders of his favourite cigars. He took one from its resting place and rolled it between his fingers for several seconds before retaking his seat. There was a flash of light as his match ignited before the scent of tobacco replaced all others. Nicholai allowed his body to go limp in the chair as he pulled and puffed contentedly. Tobacco had succeeded where alcohol had failed. His mind was relaxing with every puff. Now in a much calmer state he found himself in deep thought.

His opulent lifestyle was a constant reminder of his roots and his purpose. A plan that was hatched and executed long before his existence, one that was handed to him along with the houses, cars and money. It was a packaged deal. He didn't ask to be like this. He was born into a family- No. He was born into a collection of people who shared the same name. From day one he was groomed, not raised as was everyone before him and probably all after. Groomed to be able to continue what the generation before had begun.

Unlike other children he didn't have parties or balloons. Bicycles or puppies. He did however have chores, like any other child. In normal families, children would usually be called to clean the bowl after a cake was made, make a bed or wash a car. He'd seen it on the few occasions he'd attempted to learn about the other side. Usually from television.

Not his.

Nicholai's hand paused inches from his mouth, his body frozen in stasis as his recollection of his childhood flooded him. The scent of his father's cigars teleported him to the past. To being called into his father's study at eight years old, the familiar scent of bourbon and tobacco was ever present in the room where his father spent so much time. Mahogany was the central theme, bookcase, table, chairs and panels. On the floor, mahogany hardwood usually polished and gleaming. On that day stained red. Lying on the floor was a business associate of his father, a small hole in his forehead. His father had clasped him on the shoulder and told him that sometimes he would have to sacrifice even those he cared about. It was what strong men did. Only weak men were clouded and crippled by emotion. He then watched as the butler dragged the body down the hall leaving a trail of blood along the path. He was given one instruction before his father left the study that day. _Clean it._

As he got older his chores evolved as with other families. Instead of being the cleaner sometimes he would be given the task of executioner. And as with most chores he had to repeat it until he got it right. _Blood was a part of life and a part of death there was no reason to be squeamish._ Those were his mother's sage words to him one night he dared to falter and hesitate. The next night he was drawn a bath after school, his doting mother had made sure it was ready for him. He had been surprised and almost touched by the warm maternal gesture until he opened the door to the bathroom. The tub was filled with water but there was someone already in it. A girl, her wrists were slashed. She was literally soaking in her own blood. At least that's what it had looked like after the contents of her body had leaked into it. Without hesitation he had undressed and climbed into the tub, sitting opposite the other occupant. His reward was a sweet smile of approval from the woman who bore him.

Nicholai brought the cigar to his lips when he came back to reality. It was all for a purpose. He wasn't upset, if it hadn't been for their lessons he probably wouldn't have the stomach to do what was necessary. A conscience is an unnecessary weakness; a hindrance he didn't need.

Much like humans. They were unnecessary and they needed to be eradicated. For some strange and unexplained reason, it was taking much too long.

Nicholai sat up, his muscles rigid, teeth clenched. Just the thought of it, of them riled him. He took a long vicious drag of his cigar the expel of air more a spit than a puff.

The species, the weak and simple human race had managed to outlive everything. The resilient bastards had managed to survive every fucking virus, bacteria and strain ever evolved in an animal or produced in a lab.

He took a deep steadying breath before downing another glass of bourbon.

"Not this time."

He slammed the glass onto the table and deposited the cigar right beside it. His resolve was renewed. He walked back to the bed and sat on the edge. His hands fondled her still exposed breasts then he traced a line along her jaw and chin from one ear to the other. Whatever he could do to stir her from her slumber. He needed her to be awake.

When he leaned down to kiss her he felt her lips curve into a smile. Her lashes brushed against his face as her eyes fluttered open. Straightening his posture, he smiled back. His hands smoothed her hair off her face to expose round hazel eyes before yanking the brunette wig away, taking with it his last slither of self-control.

Both his hands tightened around her neck, her eyes widened under the sudden pressure and restriction. Her hands clawed at his arms in a desperate attempt to free herself from his vice grip. The desperation and fear he saw in her eyes further arouses his murderous desire. Her body writhed, her arms and legs flailed as she struggled against suffocation. Her thrashing caused her breasts to collide with his elbows as he continued to squeeze life from her body. His erection throbbed mercilessly as he listened to her gasp and sputter.

Until there was nothing but silence.

* * *

Riding the bike back to his apartment was torture to his body. The exertion was painful enough but every push of the pedal sent his knee aggravatingly close to his injured stomach which made it worse. Trowa dismounted the bike by the same street light that had seen him rescued by an anonymous woman. Looking around it was obvious that his earlier assumptions were correct someone had heard the gunshots and called the police. The street leading up to the apartment was lined on both sides with both marked and unmarked police vehicles.

Trowa looked down to his injured side, pressing it lightly with his hand to make sure it wasn't bleeding. An injured man appearing at the scene of a murder was automatically going to be viewed with suspicion, at least it should be if they were any good at their jobs. He was taking a risk just being here, one he wasn't sure he needed to be taking. With the police presence there was no way he would be able to recover his belongings and despite how careful he had been there was always the possibility that one of his neighbours had seen him and would recognise him as being the tenant of the now crime scene. Still he didn't turn back.

He joined the crowd of concerned citizens which had gathered in the small driveway. The ones he recognised from the building he did his best to avoid but there were others, probably from nearby homes who came to do their own investigations about what had happened. Everyone was kept behind a yellow police tape while uniformed and plain clothes officers traipsed in and out of the building. Trowa moved to the front of the crowd, right up to the plastic barricade. Close by there was a uniformed officer keeping watch of both the crowd and the preliminary investigations. Trowa knew from experience that some of these 'officers' may not be what they appeared. This had been a hit worse yet a failed one. Whoever had commissioned it would have to clean up either before the police or side by side with them. Unfortunately, there was only one way to test that theory and that was to show his face to one of them.

Trowa cleared his throat and resurrected his most youthful and curious voice. "Excuse me, sir? Was there a robbery in the building?"

The officer turned at the inquiry, he eyes scanning the crowd for the source of the question. Trowa watched as the officer's once passive face morphed into sheer contempt, his eyes flashed and his lip twitched almost uncontrollably when their eyes met. If it hadn't been for this crowd Trowa was sure the man would have pulled a gun and shot him on the spot. Luckily they weren't alone and he watched as the supposed policeman looked about the crowd obviously having remembered he was being watched by several pairs of eyes.

"Someone died tonight."

Realising that this man wasn't a legit officer Trowa had no reservations about pressing for more. He smirked devilishly as he spoke. He wasn't exactly pressing for information as he was pushing, namely the other man's buttons. "Natural causes?"

"Unnatural."

Trowa almost had to read his lips to hear that, the word was low but lined with venom. He could have stayed and aggravated the man further but he had gotten lucky once tonight he wasn't about to test his luck further. He was about to walk through the crowd when the police officer spoke up.

"Be careful, it may still be dangerous out there."

If he needed any further confirmation about this man's associations he had just received it. His body was still angled and poised to leave when he replied. "I think I've proven I can take care of myself."

Trowa didn't wait for anything more to be said, that one particular officer may have been a plant but there were still other real police officers and detectives present who could easily arrest him. Then he really would be a sitting duck.

Once out of sight he allowed his body to sag. He felt like he had been running a marathon just standing there pretending to be alright. Trowa pulled the bike away from the street light but didn't mount it. He looked down the street and just the thought of riding it to the end was exhausting. That and he really had nowhere to go.

In the distance he could see a white sedan slowly approaching. The speed was of no concern to him since the presence of police cars usually put everyone on guard. But when it's slow speed dropped to a crawl he had no choice but to take notice. He watched as the car pulled to a stop beside him.

"Need a ride?" The driver had leaned into the passenger seat far enough to look out at him as she spoke. Gravity pulled her red hair over her shoulder and her brown eyes regarded him patiently as she waited for a response.

He didn't recognise this person and he naturally assumed it was a case of mistaken identity or flirtatious banter. He was about to decline the offer when the driver's smile widened considerably.

"How do you forget the person who saved your life? Get in." The last two words left little room for argument so he obeyed.

Trowa stared at the woman in the driver seat unabashedly. He had no clue who she was or what she wanted and it was high time he found out. There was no doubt in his mind that she could feel him watching her. Several times her eyes had darted to his direction before they returned to the road. When she sighed with her mouth and her body he knew she had had enough.

"Relax, if I wanted to kill you I could've just let you bleed to death."

That much was true but that didn't mean he trusted her motives. Again she looked at him, this time she let her gaze linger for a little longer. "Open the glove compartment, I think you'll find some things which belong to you."

Trowa kept a wary eye on the driver even as he reached for the glove compartment where he found his gun and his cell phone.

"Now if I really wanted to kill you would I give you a loaded weapon?" Her tone was mocking as was her smile.

He was more confused now than before. "Who sent you?"

"A mutual friend."

"That's all you're going to tell me?"

She laughed and it seemed genuine, maybe it was the red hair but he was starting to relax in her presence. She gave him a pointed look. "Only because you're cute. I got a call from our friend telling me to help you. They sent me your picture and your address and told to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. So when you stumbled out of the building I knew exactly what I had to do."

Trowa didn't know how much of this story he could actually believe or whether it mattered at all but one thing bothered him, how did this friend know he was in danger? His brows furrowed as his mind tried to make a connection. This girl was a total stranger, he couldn't begin to imagine having anything or anyone in common with her. Or why they would send her to help him instead of calling him themselves.

"Anything more and you'll have to ask them yourself."

When he met her eyes he knew that she had basically just read his mind. "How can I ask them if I don't know who 'them' is?

She winked at him much like his sister would before she said something patronising. "Guess you'll never find out then."

They didn't drive for very long, fifteen minutes at most. It was clear the mutual friend had chosen her because of her proximity to his apartment. By the time they exited the vehicle the first traces of daylight were starting to form overhead. The sky was no longer black, now it was a dark blue as a new day began. She led him up the porch of her complex, unlike his there was no common entry. It was a small apartment complex by the look of it comprising of four units all with their own private entrances. It was quaint and much more feminine that the one he had been using. Light and airy with warm tones and colours. She pushed opened a door to a small bedroom in the back of the apartment. Bedroom being the operative word since that was all it could hold, a single bed. There was no room for anything else save a lone window.

She remained in the door way but stepped aside slightly to allow him entry. "You can stay here until morning."

Trowa looked out the window, then back to the unidentified woman. "It is morning."

She folded her arms and tilted her head. "Fine then, get the hell out of my apartment."

When he didn't respond she continued. "As I was saying, you can stay here until morning, I usually leave around ten. That should give you a couple hours to rest up. After that you're on your own."

"Thanks."

She smiled another warm smile. Whoever she was she seemed a genuine person. "No problem, just do me a favour?"

"What's that?"

"If you feel yourself dying, crawl into the street. I don't want to have to explain a dead body to the landlord."

Trowa couldn't help but laugh at the request. "Deal."

With that she left and closed the door behind her. He was taking a chance trusting her, but she too it seemed was taking a chance on him. She had invited a perfect stranger into her home, with a gun no less all because a mutual friend had asked her to. She either had a huge debt to repay or this person was someone dear to her.

Trowa sank down into the mattress, at first he had intended just to sit but the soft plush surface was far too welcoming. He stretched out on the bed throwing his arm over his eyes to block out any traces of light. As soon as he did the soreness in his body started to dissipate. His head and eyes felt heavy and he knew it was only a matter of time before he fell asleep. He wasn't going to fight it, but first he had to do something. He raised the cell phone he had just been given above his head to make a call when he noticed the icon blinking on screen. Fifteen missed calls. All from Duo. He pushed redial before resuming his previous position.

"Trowa!"

Duo's voice was frantic. It wasn't every day a man greeted him with that much emotion especially not one of the four. "It's me."

"Do you know how many times I called you?"

Trowa smiled. "Fifteen."

"It's not funny. I got a call saying you were in danger and needed my help."

That got his attention. Trowa sat upright on the bed, sleep now a distant memory. "From who?"

"I don't know it was an anonymous call. One I wasn't inclined to take seriously until you wouldn't answer the phone."

"I'm fine Duo."

Both ends of the line went silent for a few seconds. Trowa was thrown for a loop. This caller was determined to help him and he had no clue who it could be. But right now that was probably the second most important thing he had to deal with. It was always good to know your allies but you also had to know your enemies. "I saw Doctor J."

"What? Where?"

"At the hospital he – …"

"The hospital huh? I thought you said you were fine."

"I'm alive." Trowa couldn't quite make out what was being said on the other end of the line and it was probably for the best knowing Duo. What he did hear was an exasperated sigh.

"Text me your address, I'll take the next flight out."

* * *

A/N:

Devil's hour = 3: 00 am

I hope this wasn't too dark. I'm trying to be as thorough as possible and it dawned on me I hadn't given much information on Mr. Staten up until this point so when I decided to create a history for him this popped into my head. P.S: I am by no means making light of mental illness.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

* * *

"Dude, what are you wearing?"

Even behind dark shades, Trowa could see the disgust on Duo's face. He made no attempt to check to see what Duo was talking about since he already knew. It was early, not yet nine thirty in the morning, the sun was bright, the weather warm and the hustle and bustle of the bus station was already in full flow. Despite texting the address to Duo, Trowa had still felt it necessary to meet him on arrival. It was unlikely that Duo wouldn't have been able to find his way but he had decided to leave early not wanting to impose further on someone who had already gone out of her way to help him. He remembered her saying she usually left by ten so he was instead out by eight. It was the only thing he had to offer by way of gratitude.

Duo, dressed in black jeans, tightly fit black turtle neck and a bag dangling casually over his shoulder dropped his head slightly to peer at Trowa above the rim of his glasses. "Seriously, what are you wearing?"

The shirt he had stolen looked remarkably different in the daylight. There was caption, letters and words he hadn't noticed yesterday. In his defence he was injured and dazed. In the heat of escaping death and encountering Dr. J it was safe to say his mind was on other things. The red head had said nothing about it either but then she too was probably preoccupied with other things or maybe she was just being polite. Much less the case with everyone he had encountered after he left the apartment.

Trowa folded his arms and glared at his better dressed friend. "I thought you came here because you were concerned about me."

Duo placed the bag onto the sidewalk with such care it was hard not to wonder what was inside. "Now I'm just concerned about your taste in clothes."

That morning while freshening up and tending to his wound Trowa had seen the white caption printed on the front of the somewhat blue somewhat green shirt. 'I like myself.' At the time, he had read it and assumed the guy he had stolen it from had a healthy amount of self-esteem or something and thought nothing of it. On the way to meet Duo he had noticed the looks from women and even from some men. At first he was flattered, as any healthy man would be until he paid closer attention to their faces and body language. It wasn't until he walked by a store window and caught a glimpse of himself did he understand. His brain had obviously decided to read the caption the way it wanted it to be instead of the way it actually was.

"Humanity could be on the brink of destruction; we have more important things to focus on than my tastes in clothes."

"Humanity might survive this. You," Duo poked his shoulder for emphasis. "on the other hand might not survive the humiliation of being seen in that shirt. Neither will I."

Trowa rolled his eyes at Duo's theatrics. "Are you alone?"

"You saying I'm not enough?"

Trowa's mouth tipped upward at one side. "You don't come with any perks."

It was Duo's turn to fold his arms. "You mean I don't come with a badge."

"That, could be described as a perk."

"Too bad, I had to leave our license to kill at home. So we'll just have to make do some other way."

The two walked side by side against the tide as a stream of people walked briskly in the opposite direction. Trowa didn't have a plan and he was fairly certain Duo didn't have one either but they needed to start somewhere. His apartment was out of the question and he definitely wasn't going back to his saviour's home. The university seemed as good a place as any and it would give him another opportunity to speak to Professor Henley.

"So, where do you do it?"

Caught off guard by the sudden interruption Trowa's brow furrowed as he looked over to Duo. "Do what?"

Duo grinned salaciously. "Lick yourself?"

* * *

Arriving at the campus this time around was far less exciting. Before, he had been taken by the vibrant lifestyle and the innocence and ignorance of the atmosphere. He had been curious even fascinated by how the other side lived, but that feeling had quickly worn off. His near death experience had been his rude awakening. He was who he was, a soldier: so they could be who they were, students. Life was about balance and it was a waste of time to try to envision a life other than the one he had. Not when his was necessary to maintain theirs and the balance of life. Ying and yang. Without the gundams who knows what would have happened during the Eve's wars. That was the message Howard had been trying to convey to them, a message he only just understood.

"So this is college life." Duo said, looking around the as they walked.

"Don't get used to it."

"Who are we kidding, I'm not about to trade bombs for books."

Trowa knew it was meant as a joke but he also knew there was truth in the statement. It seemed Duo had grasped in only a few minutes what had taken him a day. This wasn't their life; they were merely passing through.

With every step the Department of Engineering sign increased in size until they were at the entrance. The air conditioned office cooled their bodies drastically.

"I'm here to see Dr. Henley." Trowa offered to the receptionist who hadn't officially acknowledged their presence. Her eyes remained glued on her screen while her fingers tapped swiftly on the keys. She was either engrossed or impolite or both because she kept them waiting for five minutes before she answered.

"He's not here and won't be for another month. He's taken a leave of absence, if you need help direct all queries to …."

Trowa turned on his heels before she could finish the sentence.

"That's convenient. Any idea where he lives?"

"No but I know how we could find out." Trowa looked to the receptionist's computer, then back to Duo.

* * *

"Reminds me of the good old days." Duo waxed nostalgic as he typed ferociously at the computer.

Trowa sat on the desk beside Duo watching as the other man tried, hopefully with success to hack into school records.

Duo arched a brow at him. "Don't tell me you don't miss this?"

Trowa looked down at Duo who had stopped typing to stare at him. "I haven't told you anything, I've been quiet this whole time."

Duo gritted his teeth. "If you're so smart why are you walking around in a 'I lick myself' tee shirt.

Trowa waved at the computer screen. "You done yet?"

"You can't rush these things, it's a process and….," Duo broke out in a cheshire grin. "Yeah I'm done, I'm not an amateur you know."

"Ok let's go."

"Where to?"

"I'm curious about something so I want to go back to University Hospital."

* * *

Relena watched as a small gathering of birds worked hastily to devour the pieces of bread strewn around her feet. Feeding birds was one past time she often marvelled at, never quite understanding the lure. Did people do it for themselves or did they do it as some kind of charity to animals which they felt needed nourishment? She threw a few more pieces to the ground and two more birds joined the frenzy. They were an assortment of white, grey and black, heads bowed, totally focused on their next bite.

Relena sat back on the bench to appreciate the view. The park where she had agreed to meet Noin was expansive and not entirely flat which added to the appeal. The lawns were well groomed with small rolling humps in some areas. Large trees mixed with small shrubs and flowers were scattered around in what seemed to be deliberate design and in the middle of it all a decent sized pond which shimmered under the sunlight.

She had traded speeches and debates for the soft rustle of wind through leaves and the chirp of birds, tailored suits for blue jeans and a white camisole, pumps for sandals and she couldn't help but feel like it was a trade up. Relena hazard a glance to Wufei who was standing beside the bench and smiled, the only thing she couldn't trade was her company.

"You know you could sit, if you wanted, the bench is big enough for two." When no response was made she returned her attention to the birds. "Guess not."

Relena leaned forward placing her elbows on her knees to get a closer look at her feathered friends. They seemed oblivious to her presence or scrutiny though she wasn't actually looking at the birds so much as trying to think of a way to broach what might probably be a sensitive topic. She turned on the bench, one leg crossed over the other until she was facing Wufei, a smile on her lips and a glint in her eye. And she waited, and waited until she saw his shoulders sag ever so slightly.

"What?"

Worked every time. "I've never seen you with anyone."

He folded his arms and looked away.

"What do you do when you're not at work?" She pressed.

"Why is that your business?"

Relena raised a brow. "Doesn't have to be my business for me to be curious."

Wufei returned her raised brow but gave no reply.

"I mean, are you happy…" It was a loaded question, one she hoped he would understand without her having to go into great detail and by the pensive look on his face she could tell he did. Wufei nodded slowly and she couldn't help but smile brightly. She scooted further down the bench, closer to where he was standing. "Seeing anyone?"

This time he rolled his eyes but she could see the faintest hints of a smile on his face. "I thought better of you."

"What?" Relena's face fell. Had she misread him? She in no way meant to offend him.

"Propositioning me like this."

It was a full minute before Relena composed herself from her sudden fit of laughter. By the time she had all the birds had flown to safety.

"What's so funny?"

Relena jumped to her feet. "Noin."

"I'm funny?" Noin asked as the two women withdrew from their embrace.

Relena shook her head. "Your sense of humour is almost as bad as his."

* * *

When Noin had asked to meet her she had neglected to say she was bringing a partner but as the four meandered through the park pathways it didn't matter although Relena felt like a sore thumb surrounded by three agents in full uniform; the least they could have done was dress for the occasion.

Relena and Noin walked side by side chatting while Wufei and Sally walked close behind. During the conversation with Noin, Relena had stolen glances behind her under the guise of looking around, every time she did she couldn't help but giggle like a school girl. Of course every time she did, Wufei had caught her and met her gaze with a scowl which only made her want to laugh more considering their earlier conversation. She had always heard rumours about Sally and Wufei but had always dismissed it as just that. Now she wondered if they held any truth.

At one point the four had stopped walking to engage in a group conversation, Sally had reached up and wiped something from Wufei's brow and to Relena's surprise he hadn't objected. Relena caught Wufei's eye and used the opportunity to look from him to Sally and back which earned her another scowl, an eye-roll and a sigh for good measure. Something about teasing Wufei who was generally private and reserved about his life was oh so appealing. As she watched them Relena wondered how juvenile it would be if she broke out into the sitting in a tree song.

* * *

They broke into pairs once more and continued their leisurely stroll. Relena and Noin had fallen into an easy silence before Noin cleared her throat to resume the conversation. "How close were you to Doctor Blair?"

Relena's mouth fell agape. That was not a subtle change in conversation by any stretch. "What do you mean close. He was a doctor with the ESUN. That's it."

"And your professional relationship?"

Relena stopped in her tracks forcing the others around her to follow suit. "What is this about?"

Noin took a deep breath. "You heard about the explosion at Dr. Blair's facility?"

Relena nodded and waited.

"Well after that, along with some other…. developments, the preventers had suspended their operations and confiscated most of his files as part of an ongoing investigation."

"Into what?"

Noin cast a look to Sally before continuing. "Into their research, what it was about, where they were going with it…."

Relena folded her arms over her chest, she was well versed in the art of deflection and she could tell when it was being used. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Your name came up several times on many different documents."

"That's not a surprise considering I'm the Vice Foreign Minister of the ESUN."

"Do you know what he was working on?"

"Am I under investigation?"

"Do you need to be?"

"Noin!"

"I'm sorry Relena but these questions have to be asked, I just figured you would rather have me be the one to ask them."

* * *

Duo had insisted they take a quick detour before heading to the hospital. Apparently he couldn't stand being next to a guy that licked himself any longer and Trowa had grown tired listening to him complain about it. So they went into a small shopping complex close to the campus. There were a few clothing stores, book stores and novelty stores all surrounding an open air food court.

Duo waited as Trowa changed in a dressing room in the back of one of the clothing stores and even though there was a door separating the two of them Trowa knew Duo was getting restless despite it only being five minutes that he was in there. The foot tapping, pacing and constant loud sighing increased with every second. Trowa eyed the bench in the stall and contemplated taking a seat just to torture him.

"You done yet?"

Trowa glared at the door before continuing to get dressed. His movements while not laboured had to be tentative since his side was far from healed, a fact that Duo had obviously forgotten. "Soon."

Trowa had expected and anticipated a complaint, a retort or some kind of Duo-esque reply but instead he was greeted by silence. He allowed himself a smile, maybe Duo had given up and had resigned himself to wait patiently or maybe gone off in search of entertainment but he could still see the boots under the door. The next time he heard Duo's voice it wasn't annoyed or complaining, it was dead serious and foreboding.

"What was the name of that hospital again?"

Trowa crumpled up the clothes he had just taken off and shoved them into a brown paper bag before exiting the stall. He looked at Duo whose attention was off in the distance. "University hospital, why?"

Without turning to look at him Duo pointed to the large screen in the centre of the food court. Their distance meant they couldn't hear what was being said but the images were unmistakable. Smoke, a fine mist of dust and disintegrated rubble cast a haze on the scene where more than half a building lay in ruins. What was left standing looked derelict and old, plaster off the walls, support beams exposed and material shredded and hanging through holes and windows.

Trowa walked toward the broadcast, pushing past others who had stopped to take in the news report, which was everyone within the vicinity. No one was shopping and people sat with their food poised while their eyes were glued to the screen. As he got closer he could hear the reporter and the sirens in the background.

 _"_ _...emergency services are on the scene. It is unclear at this time what caused the building to collapse but…"_

Trowa couldn't hear anymore, his mind was filled with thoughts of what ifs. Did his arrival at the hospital last night force their hand, did they think he was there for them and acted accordingly? He didn't understand. His presence at the hospital that night was just a coincidence, he had thought the doctor had tried to kill him but if that had been the case, they wouldn't have needed to act this rashly. Was Doctor J just as surprised to see him as he had been?

Trowa's thought's halted as an image of his face flashed on screen followed by a video of him throwing the extinguisher into the glass.

 _"-authorities describe him as being a person of interest, they have also released a video showing the man attempting to break into one of the hospital rooms late last night. Reports confirm that he was escorted out of the hospital after the incident, he was described as being erratic and nervous. "_

Trowa turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "We need to get out of here."

* * *

A/N: Of course it's University Hospital right?


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

There weren't many places for them to hide. As Trowa and Duo walked around the city they got glimpses of the security video being played over and over. Whoever had leaked it was making sure that everyone got a good look at the suspect, leaving them with little to no options.

Deciding to get off the busy street the pair made their way through an unpopulated alley. It was thin, sandwiched between a convenience store on one side and what looked to be an abandoned laundromat on the other. It wasn't long before they realised why no one had been using the alley, it reeked of old food and garbage mixed with whatever chemicals had been left over from the laundromat. It was nauseating but it was a reprieve from accusatory eyes.

Trowa stopped half way down the alley looking to the far end in front of them, then back where they had entered. Satisfied that they had a few moments he turned to Duo. "What's in the bag?"

Trowa watched as Duo ran the zip along the length of the bag, then tugged one side back just enough for Trowa to peer inside. There were clothes and books typical for a backpacker but just underneath Trowa could see the gleam of something metal and the more he looked the more metal he saw.

"Do you get how this looks?" Trowa shook his head in disbelief. "We're on the run with a bag full of weapons. We look like terrorists."

"Hate to break it to you pal but we made that list years ago."

Trowa knew Duo was right but it still annoyed him the position they now found themselves in. He felt like a lab rat being forced to run through a maze while the scientists took notes on his progress.

The two looked up when they heard a noise at the end of the alley and noticed a man walk by and stare at them for a second longer than was comfortable. They gave each other knowing looks and made quick work of exiting the other side. They needed to find cover and they needed to find it fast.

* * *

"Quite the show, was that necessary? I thought you said it was too soon." It had been some weeks since the three had convened but Henley didn't like being kept in the dark and no one had told him about the recent change of plans.

"Think of this as a real world exercise. What better way to test just how it would work?" Doctor J replied.

"You could have told me, told us. It's not just you two involved in this." Henley glared at the images of Doctor J and Professor G on his screen. These two had a tendency to go off on their own unapologetically and they dared anyone to try to stop them. Working with them always had a tendency to be a double edged sword. One minute they were with you, the next they were your worst enemies but that volatility is what kept people loyal to them. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of anything the two of them had to dish out.

"There wasn't enough time, besides now the whole world knows. No need for anyone to feel left out."

Henley tried to mask his irritation, quite the feat when his colleagues insisted on making light of a life altering decision. "But now you've given credence to any theories the pilots may have had, people will start to take them much more seriously.

"Good thing we have a scape goat. Two to be precise. Even if they do start to talk their faces are plastered all over this. If and when people start to die from a mysterious illness we aren't going to be the ones people come looking for."

* * *

Old grease, paint and rusted metal, the scent was suffocating but they'd have to endure. It was sheer dumb luck that they had found the old garage and better luck when they'd been able to break in with ease. There were old tyres, radios, cars that definitely weren't going to run again but most importantly there were vid phones and televisions. Most of everything in the old shop was broken or half fixed but there were some items they'd been able to salvage with a few tools that were scattered around most notably the television, which after one too many knocks with a fist blared to life.

Even though they knew what was being said about the explosion they still found it necessary to watch, to know where the investigation was going and what was being said about Trowa and his location.

"The preventers will be all over this." Duo said.

"Maybe then we'll get some help."

Sitting on an old wood stool, Trowa's attention was riveted on the screen as they replayed his outburst over and over and he was disgusted at how easily he'd been used. This theme was getting old but it still seemed to work; when all else failed blame a gundam or worse its pilot. His attention momentarily diverted when he heard Duo rummage through the contents of his bag. The deathscythe pilot pulled out a nine millimetre, black from barrel to butt and proceeded to clean and inspect it, just like old times. It was comforting and disheartening all at the same time.

When Trowa finally looked back to the news broadcast they had switched to another video. This one made Trowa's blood run cold. It wasn't a new video, in fact, it was old, almost five years. His stomach knotted, and he eyed Duo warily when his side of the room went quiet. Accomplice, terrorist, Oz. Those words stood out the most as the video of Duo being captured by OZ soldiers was narrated by a female reporter. At one point the two videos were played side by side, punctuated with the phrase armed and dangerous.

Trowa's mind went into overdrive. It was one thing for them to have the video of him but where on earth would they have gotten that one of Duo. And how did they even know he was here. There was always the possibility they were spotted but he doubted if anyone on earth would have recognised or remembered Duo and he couldn't imagine that they would've had enough time to resurrect this incriminating piece of evidence. Beside him, he could hear Duo echo his sentiments.

"Did you tell anyone you were coming?" Trowa asked.

"No one, I called you." Duo stopped abruptly his eyes focused on nothing in particular. "Then you called me." There was hesitation in Duo's voice when he spoke again. "What phone did you use to call me?"

Trowa ground his teeth, he already felt responsible he didn't need fingers being pointed at him. "Mi…" Trowa found it difficult to finish the word. His brain had ended transmission with his mouth, instead, it chose to replay a key event.

 _"_ _Open the glove compartment, I think you'll find some things which belong to you."_

Trowa pulled the phone from his pocket and examined it carefully. The change of light in the room told him Duo had come to stand beside him to observe. There was nothing out of the ordinary it was just as he left it but that didn't say much. Trowa's grip tightened around the device, he really didn't want to believe it, didn't even want to think it. Even without confirmation his level of annoyance had risen considerably and he threw the phone to the concrete floor, breaking it further with a heavy stomp of his boot. The phone crunched and splinted as he removed his weight from over it. Everything that one would expect to be present in a cheap mobile phone was present, everything but one. Trowa didn't move, he could only watch as Duo gingerly lifted a small shiny circular device from the tattered remains and held it up to the light.

"Trowa, Duo, we know you're in there. Disarm yourselves and exit the building at once."

"Is that…?"

"Lady Une."

* * *

"We've been in this situation before haven't we."

"Didn't enjoy it that time either."

Trowa remained silent as the two past enemies jeered each other. Quite frankly he couldn't decide if they were joking or dead serious and he didn't know which he would have preferred.

They were at a preventer outpost, one level underground no windows, just one door and a single rectangle light in the ceiling. Above them, people of all ages were sure to be perusing any category of reading material available in a local bookstore and library.

"You've made quite the mess." Une started.

Trowa didn't care for the way she was looking at them and his words left his mouth with more venom than usual. "That wasn't us and you know it."

"Do I?" Lady Une pulled out the chair opposite the two gundam pilots.

Duo looked perplexed. "Aren't you going to separate us so we can't compare notes?"

Une's glare was cold as it landed on Duo but she refused to give the man a response.

In his seat, Trowa could only listen as Duo tapped out a staccato rhythm on the table with his hands. It was either a nervous tick or a means to annoy anyone within ear shot and since it was only the three of them in an extremely quiet room, Trowa figured it was sure to be the latter. That was just Duo's personality.

"Twenty people are dead, countless numbers injured and nine unaccounted for."

The room was thrown into silence. For several seconds the only movement in the room was the eyes cast on each other.

Sure that her words had hit their mark Une continued. "Why were you there?"

Trowa thought about the question for longer than was really necessary, being attacked was as good a reason as any to be at a hospital. Somehow though he didn't feel like sharing, didn't feel like talking at all. He had made so many mistakes leading up to this point he didn't trust himself. On the other hand, not answering wasn't going to do himself or Duo any good. Begrudgingly he recounted the events that occurred over the past few days, the bare bones of it at least.

Une stared at him. "Who was this woman?"

"I don't know."

"Yet she saved you and by sheer coincidence took you to the one hospital where Dr. J was hiding?" Une's voice inflected in amusement.

The implication was clear but it still didn't make any sense. Trowa was there, he had seen the doctor or as much as he could see from behind the glass and not once did he get the impression that the doctor had expected to see him. On the other hand, his instincts seemed to be off as of late maybe he had misread the situation.

"Why would they attack me, only to save me and frame me for an attack?" Trowa didn't know the answer but maybe between the three of them, they could come up with something.

"Maybe that was the point." Duo offered.

"They couldn't have known I'd survive the initial attack, too many variables for that to have been the end game."

Une and Duo both nodded.

"Do you know who attacked you?" Une asked.

Trowa remained silent forcing Une to sigh in frustration.

"You're not giving me a lot to go on Trowa."

"I've given you all I have."

"You're being tried in the court of public opinion, without anything more substantial…"

Trowa understood. It had been the same during the wars. When bad things happened people needed someone to blame and the authorities wanted to deliver. Sometimes it didn't matter if that person was innocent or guilty and that was made worse if political interests became involved, which in these situations they usually did.

"How long do you plan on holding us?" Duo asked the unanswerable.

Une stood, giving them one last look then left them alone.

* * *

Without any external references it was impossible for the two men to know just how much time they'd spent in the dark room. It felt like hours but they were both fully aware of how time worked in these situations. They had both gotten up to stretch their legs, walking the length of the room in turns, before returning to the desk, Trowa to his original position and Duo to the seat Une had used earlier his head lying against his forearms atop the desk.

And that's the position they were in when the door opened for the second time. This person, however, made no move to sit neither did they talk.

"You gonna break us out or what?" Duo's voice came out in a muffled whisper having not bothered to raise his head.

"No."

Duo shot up. "Can't return the favour? I remember breaking you out of a much more secured building. You remember that? Being strapped to a table while they decided which knife to cut you with?"

Heero remained standing at the door, he folded his arms over his chest. "I do remember and I also remember returning the favour."

Duo's eyes widened before a small smile settled on his face. "Oh right."

"Heero, I need you to do me a favour?" Trowa spoke up. He looked at Heero who responded by raising a brow.

"This room secured?" Trowa realised it was a little late to be cautious but he didn't need this particular information leaving the room.

Heero nodded.

Trowa pulled out the bug he had found in his phone and slid it to the end of the table. "It's the only thing I have to go on, think you can find out where it came from?"

Heero took a few strides forward his eyes glued to the tiny object. He picked it up and held it up to the light before placing it back on the desk. "Where'd you get this."

Trowa's stomach churned. These two men were his friends, his comrades. They understood better than anyone the life he lived, and his failures, having experienced similar in their own lives. That sickening feeling of being used and the guilt of realising you had fallen for it. He remembered how Heero had handled the news that he had been manipulated by Oz and had brought down a plane of pacifists. At the time he could only imagine how Heero had felt and he had garnered a lot of respect for the man as he watched him attempt to rectify his wrong. He knew that neither of them would judge him but he still loathed having to admit how he had been fooled. He swallowed what was left of his pride and repeated the story he had told to Une earlier this time with no omissions.

"Sorry Duo." Trowa knew he didn't need to but he felt like he should apologise but Duo would hear none of it. He waved him off literally then shrugged.

"Can you do it?" Duo asked the question again if just to refocus the conversation.

"Don't have to."

Trowa and Duo both looked to Heero with the same question etched on their faces.

"It's preventer issued."

* * *

A/N: Doing that thing where I attempt to write simultaneously. Will see if I can keep it up. Have also decided to not wait until I have 3000 plus words to publish, which was what I usually did.


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